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ELECTION  LAWS 


OF  THE 


1914 


PROVIDENCE,  E.  I. 

E.  Ii.  FREEMAN  COMPANY,   STATE  PRINTERS 
1914 


SUPPLEMENTARY 


ELECTION   LAWS 


OF  THE 


State  of  Rhode  Island 


1914 


PROVIDENCE,  B.  I. 

E.  L.   FBEEMAN   COMPANY,    STATE   PKINTBRS 
1914 


CHAPTERS  OF  THE  PUBLIC  LAWS  PASSED  SINCE  THE  REVIS- 
ION   OF    THE    GENERAL    LAWS,  AT    THE    JANUARY 
SESSIONS,  1913—1914. 

CHAPTER  922. 
AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  SECTION  14  OF  CHAPTER  48  OF 

Approved 

THE  GENERAL  LAWS,  ENTITLED  "OF  THE  QUORUM,  GOV-  April  15.  1913. 
ERNMENT  AND  CONDUCT  OF  TOWN  MEETINGS,  AND  OF 
ORGANIZATION  AND  GOVERNMENT  OF  WARD  MEETINGS." 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.  Section  14  of  Chapter  48  of  the  General  Laws, 
entitled  "Of  the  quorum,  government  and  conduct  of  town 
meetings,  and  of  organization  and  government  of  ward  meet- 
ings, "is  hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 

"Sec.  14.     The   moderator   of    every   town   meeting   shall 

Modf-rator, 

on  a  motion  being  made  and  seconded,  relative  to  any  business  {}ow  *° con-  . 

dunt  in  ease  of 

regularly  before  such  meeting,  after  having  heard  all  the  electors  a  motlon  made- 
entitled  to  vote  thereon  who  shall  be  desirous  of  being  heard, 
cause  the  votes  of  the  electors  present  to  be  taken  thereon. 
Whenever  any  question  shall  be  pending  in  any  town  meeting 
involving  an  expenditure  of  money,  or  the  incurring  of  liability 
by  the  town,  or  the  disposition  of  town  property,  the  same  shall 
be  taken  by  ballot,  if  a  ballot  be  called  for  and  the  call  be 
seconded  by  at  least  one-fifth  of  the  electors  present  who  are 
qualified  to  vote  on  the  pending  question." 

SEC.  2.  This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and  all 
acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 


293014 


4  '•-.,..'•  ELECTION  LAWS. 

CHAPTER  927. 
Approved  AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  SECTION  16  OF  CHAPTER  25  OF 

April  23,  1913. 

THE  GENERAL  LAWS,  ENTITLED  "OF  THE  CONSTITUTION 
AND  ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY,"  AS 
AMENDED  BY  SECTION  34  OF  CHAPTER  640  OF  THE  PUBLIC 
LAWS,  APPROVED  AUGUST  22,  1910. 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.  Section  16  of  Chapter  25  of  the  General  Laws, 
entitled  "Of  the  constitution  and  organization  of  the  general 
assembly,"  as  amended  by  Section  34  of  Chapter  640  of  the 
Public  Laws,  approved  August  22nd,  1910,  is  hereby  amended 
so  as  to  read  as  follows: 

"Sec.  16.     WESTERLY. 

"The  town  of  Westerly  is  hereby  divided  into  two  repre- 
sentative-districts, bounded  and  described  as  follows: 
westerly,  First        "  (1)     The  first  representative-district   shall   consist  of  all 

Representative  . 

District.  that  part  of  said  town  lying  north  and  west  of  a  line  beginning 

at  a  point  on  the  bridge  over  the  Pawcatuck  river  on  the  Rhode 
Island-Connecticut  boundary  line  in  the  center  of  Broad  street, 
extending  southeasterly  through  the  center  of  Broad  street  till 
it  comes  to  a  point  opposite  the  centre  of  the  building  on  said 
Broad  street  belonging  to  the  town  of  Westerly  and  the  State 
of  Rhode  Island;  thence  southerly  through  the  center  of  said 
building  to  the  dividing  lin_e  between  the  part  of  said  building 
used  by  the  town  of  Westerly  and  the  part  of  said  building  used 
by  the  State  of  Rhode  Island;  easterly  along  said  dividing  line 
to  the  easterly  boundary  of  the  lot  of  land  belonging  to  said  town 
of  Westerly  and  said  State  of  Rhode  Island;  northerly  to  the 
center  of  Broad  street;  southeasterly  through  the  center  of 
Broad  street  to  Granite  street;  northeasterly  and  northerly 
through  the  center  of  Granite  street  to  Tower  street;  easterly 


ELECTION   LAWS.  5 

and  northeasterly  through  the  center  of  Tower  street  to  Oak 
street;  easterly  through  the  center  of  Oak  street  to  its  junction 
with  the  Old  Niantic  road,  so-called;  northeasterly  through 
the  center  of  said  road  to  the  tracks  of  the  N.  Y.,  N.  H.  &  H. 
R.  R.  Co. ;  easterly  on  said  tracks  to  the  brook  flowing  from 
Chapman's  pond  into  the  Pawcatuck  river;  through  said  brook 
in  a  general  easterly  direction  to  the  Hopkinton-Westerly 
boundary  line  in  the  Pawcatuck  river;  thence  following  the 
Hopkinton-Westerly  boundary  line  in  a  general  easterly 
direction  to  the  Charlestown- Westerly  boundary  line. 

"  (2)     The  second  representative-district  shall  consist  of  all  Westerly, 

Second 

that  part  of  the  town  of  Westerly  not  included  in  the  first  Representative 

District. 

representative-district  of  said  town." 

SEC.  2.  This  act  shall  take  effect  from  and  after  its  passage, 
and  all  acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby 
repealed. 


CHAPTER  988. 

AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  CHAPTER  475  OF  THE  PUBLIC 
LAWS,  PASSED  MAY  7,  1909,  ENTITLED  "AN  ACT  IN  RELA- 
TION TO  THE  HOLDING  OF  CAUCUSES  IN  THE  TOWN  OF 
BRISTOL." 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.  Section  3  of  Chapter  475  of  the  Public  Laws, 
entitled  "An  act  in  relation  to  the  holding  of  caucuses  in  the 
town  of  Bristol, "  is  hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 

"Sec.  3.     All  caucuses  shall  be  held  in  said  town  at  the  call  caucuses, hov 
of  the  town  committee  of    the    political  party  holding  such 
caucuses.     The  call  for  such  caucuses  shall  be  issued  not  less 
than  five  days  prior  to  the  day  on  which  they  are  to  be  held. 
It  shall  state  the  places  where  such  caucuses  are  to  be  held,  the 


O  ELECTION   LAWS. 

hour  of  holding  the  same,  the  time  during  which  the  polls  are 
to  be  open,  the  business  to  be  transacted  thereat  (and  the  uni- 
form size  of  the  ballots  to  be  used  in  said  caucus),  and  said  call 
shall  be  posted,  at  least  four  days  prior  to  the  holding  of  said 
caucus,  in  six  or  more  public  places  in  said  town.  No  two 
political  parties  shall  hold  their  caucuses  on  the  same  day." 

SEC.  2.     Section  7  of  said  Chapter  475  of  the  Public  Laws 
is  hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

caucus  officers  "Sec.  7.  The  caucus  chairman  appointed,  as  hereinbefore 
provided,  shall  call  the  caucus  of  his  political  party  to  order, 
and  shall  preside  thereat,  and  the  caucus  clerk  and  assistant 

Vacancies,  how  caucus  clerks  shall  check  the  voting  list.  In  case  a  caucus 
chairman  is  absent  at  the  time  at  which  the  caucus  has  been 
called,  or  in  case  a  caucus  chairman  becomes  incapacitated 
during  the  holding  of  the  caucus,  the  town  committee,  or  a 
majority  of  the  members  thereof  present  at  such  caucus,  shall 
appoint  a  qualified  elector  of  such  party  residing  in  said  town  as 
caucus  chairman  for  such  caucus.  If  no  member  of  the  town 
committee  is  present,  the  clerk  of  such  caucus,  or,  hi  case  of 
his  absence  or  incapacity,  then  any  qualified  elector  of  such 
political  party  shall  call  the  meeting  to  order,  and  the  electors 
present  shall  elect  some  qualified  person  as  caucus  chairman  of 
such  caucus.  In  case  a  caucus  clerk  is  absent  at  the  time  at 
which  the  caucus  has  been  called,  or  in  case  a  caiicus  clerk 
becomes  incapacitated  from  performing  his  duties  as  such  dur- 
ing the  holding  of  the  caucus,  the  town  committee  of  said  town, 
or  such  majority  thereof,  shall  appoint  some  qualified  elector 
of  the  town  as  such  caucus  clerk.  If  no  member  of  the  town 
committee  is  present,  the  caucus  chairman  shall  appoint  some 

which8  polls'18      qualified  elector  as  aforesaid  as  caucus  clerk.     All  caucuses 

must  remain          ^j    ^    ^^    ^    ^^    ^    seven_thirty    o'clock    P.     M.       All 

nominations  of  candidates  for  office  shall  be  made  before  the 
opening  of  the  polls,  and  no  ballot  shall  be  counted  for  any 
candidate  for  office  not  so  nominated.  The  polls  shall  be 


ELECTION   LAWS. 

opened  at  eight  P.  M.,  and  the  ballot  boxes  shall  be  opened  and 
the  interior  thereof  exposed  to  the  view  of  all  present  by  the 
chairman  before  any  ballots  are  cast.  Any  necessary  business 
not  finished  at  eight  P.  M.  shall  be  postponed  until  after  the 
polls  are  closed  and  the  result  of  the  balloting  announced.  The 
polls  shall  be  kept  open  until  ten  P.  M.,  and  no  longer:  Pro- 
vided, however,  that  in  the  event  of  but  one  nomination  for  each 
political  office  the  polls  shall  be  kept  open  thirty  minutes. 
Except  for  the  filling  of  vacancies  in  the  office  of  caucus  chairman 
and  caucus  clerk,  as  hereinbefore  provided  in  this  section,  a 
ballot  shall  be  required  for  the  choice  of  all  candidates  for  elec- 
tive offices,  for  delegates  to  conventions,  and  for  members  of 
town  committees,  to  be  elected  by  such  caucuses.  All  ballots  Form  of 

caucus  ballot. 

shall  be  printed  or  written  on  white  paper,  of  uniform  size  to 
be  determined  by  the  town  committee  of  each  political  party 
in  said  town,  and  no  tissue  paper  shall  be  used  for  any  caucus 
ballot.  The  names  of  all  candidates  for  which  any  elector  shall 
vote  at  any  caucus  shall  be  written  or  printed  upon  one  ballot. " 
SEC.  3.  All  acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith 
are  hereby  repealed,  and  this  act  shall  take  effect  on  and  after 
its  passage. 


CHAPTER  1013. 

AN  ACT  REGULATING  THE  OPENING  AND  CLOSING  OF  POLLS   Approved 

IN  THE  TOWN  OF  WEST  WARWICK.  April  20. 1913. 


It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.     At  all  elective  meetings  in  the  town  of  West  Time  of 
Warwick  the  polls  shall  be  opened  at  half -past  five  in  the  fore-  closing  of  polls. 
noon  and  shall  be  continuously  kept  open  for  voting  until  five 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  no  longer. 

SEC.  2.  This  act  shall  take  effect  on  and  after  its  passage, 
and  all  acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby 
repealed. 


ELECTION   LAWS. 


CHAPTER  1033. 
Approved  AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  SECTIONS  11,  12,  13  AND  25  OF 

April  21,  1914. 

CHAPTER  10  OF  THE  GENERAL  LAWS,  ENTITLED  "OF  THE 
MANNER  OF  CONDUCTING  ELECTIONS, "  AS  AMENDED  BY 
SECTION  6  OF  CHAPTER  640  OF  THE  PUBLIC  LAWS,  PASSED 
AT  THE  AUGUST  SESSION,  A.  D.  1910. 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.     Section  11  of  Chapter  10  of  the  General  Laws 
is  hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 
Ballots,  how  "  Sec.  11.     The  ballots  given  at  any  such  meeting  for  electors 

to  be  sealed  up. 

of  president  and  vice-president  of  the  United  States,  senators 
and  representatives  in  the  congress  of  the  Unites  States,  general 
officers  of  the  state,  senators  and  representatives  in  the  general 
assembly,  and  ballots  given  in  at  any  such  meeting  upon  any 
proposed  amendment  of  the  constitution,  and  upon  any  question 
or  questions  submitted  to  the  electors  of  the  state,  shall  be  sealed 
up  in  one  package,  which  shall  contain  no  other  ballots.  In 
cities  and  in  towns  divided  into  voting-districts  the  ballot  given 
in  at  any  such  meeting  for  city  and  town  officers,  for  ward  and 
voting-district  officers  and  for  and  against  any  question  sub- 
mitted to  the  electors  of  such  city  or  town  shall  be  sealed  up 
in  one  package  containing  no  ballots  given  in  for  any  other 
officers,  or  for  or  against  any  proposition  or  question  sub- 
mitted to  the  electors  of  the  state." 

SEC.  2.     Section  12  of  Chapter  10  of  the  General  Laws,  as 

amended  by  Section  6  of  Chapter  640  of  the  Public  Laws, 

passed  at  the  August  session,  A.  D.  1910,  is  hereby  amended  so 

as  to  read  as  follows: 

Certificate  to  be       "Sec.  12.     With   each   package   of   ballots   there   shall   be 

enclosed  in 

baiiotfeof         forwarded  to  the  board  or  council  to  whom  such  package  is 
to  be  delivered,  a  certificate  in  ink  signed  by  the  moderator 


ELECTION   LAWS. 

and  clerk  of  the  elective  meeting,  setting  forth  in  regard  to 
said  meeting  and  the  ballots  enclosed  in  said  package: 

"First.     The  number  of  names  checked  upon  the  voting   what  to  set 
list  used  at  such  meeting; 

"Second,  The  number  of  such  ballots  for  each  candidate  and 
for  what  office; 

"  Third,  The  number  of  such  ballots,  if  any,  cast  for  and 
against  any  proposition  of  amendment  of  the  constitution; 

"Fourth,  The  number  of  such  ballots,  if  any,  cast  for  and 
against  any  question  submitted  to  the  electors; 

"Fifth,  That  such  ballots  are  all  the  ballots  that  were  given 
in  at  such  meeting  for  such  candidates  or  for  and  against  any 
such  proposition  or  question; 

"Sixth,  The  date  of  such  meeting; 

"Seventh,  The  city  or  town  and  the  number  of  the  repre- 
sentative-district, ward  or  voting-district,  in  which  such  meeting 
was  held. 

"Said  certificate  shall  not  be  enclosed  in  the  package  with 
the  ballots,  but  shall  be  sealed  up  in  a  separate  envelope  ad- 
dressed to  the  board  or  council  to  whom  the  package  is  to  be 
delivered.  The  envelope  containing  such  certificate  may  be 
opened,  and  the  information  contained  thereon  tabulated  for 
public  use,  by  the  secretary  or  clerk,  as  the  case  may  be,  of  the 
board  or  council  to  whom  such  envelope  is  addressed,  at  any 
time  after  the  receipt  thereof." 

SEC.  3.  Section  13  of  Chapter  10  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

"Sec.  13.     In  all  cities  and  towns  the  packages  containing   Of  the  delivery 
the  ballots  for  electors  of  president  and  vice-president,  senators  state  returning 

board. 

and  representatives  in  congress,  general  officers,  senators  and 
representatives  hi  the  general  assembly,  and  for  or  against  any 
proposition  of  amendment  of  the  constitution  or  question  sub- 
mitted to  the  electors  of  the  state,  after  such  ballots  have  been 
counted,  declared,  sealed  and  endorsed  as  hereinbefore  provided, 


10  ELECTION   LAWS. 

shall  be  delivered  in  person  by  the  clerk  of  such  meeting,  to  the 
state  returning-board  within  forty-eight  hours  after  they  have 
been  sealed.  Upon  the  receipt  of  said  packages  the  secretary 
of  said  returning-board  shall  give  to  the  person  so  delivering 
them  a  certificate  of  such  delivery,  on  presentation  of  which  to 
the  town  or  city  council  such  person  shall  be  paid  ten  cents  for 
each  mile's  travel  to  and  from  the  office  of  the  said  returning- 
board,  to  be  computed  from  the  place  of  voting. " 

SEC.  4.     Section  25  of  Chapter  10  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 
certain  election       "Sec.  25.     The  secretary  of  state  shall  at  the  expense  of 

supplies  to  be  » 

Of  the  state  procure  for  use  at  all  elective  meetings  held  therein 
a  sufficient  supply  of  suitably  strong  cord  and  twine  and  of 
paper  for  enclosing  the  ballots,  and  also  of  adhesive  labels  not 
less  than  four  inches  hi  length  and  two  and  one-quarter  inches 
in  width,  for  use  in  complying  with  the  provisions  of  Section 
9  of  this  chapter.  He  shall  also  for  use  at  all  meetings  held 
therein  for  the  election  of  electors  of  president  and  vice- 
president  of  the  United  States,  senators  and  representatives  in 
congress,  general  officers,  and  senators  and  representatives  in 
the  general  assembly,  or  for  voting  upon  propositions  or  ques- 
tions submitted  to  the  electors  of  the  state,  have  printed  at 
such  expense,  upon  the  paper  for  enclosing  the  ballots,  or  upon 
adhesive  labels  not  less  than  six  inches  in  length  and  four 
inches  in  width,  a  sufficient  number  of  blank  forms  of  the 
endorsement  provided  for  in  Section  10  of  this  chapter,  and 
upon  suitable  paper  a  sufficient  supply  of  blank  forms  of  the 
certificates  provided  for  hi  Section  12  of  this  chapter,  and  shall 
furnish  to  the  city  or  town  clerk  of  each  city  and  town,  at  least 
ten  days  before  the  day  for  holding  such  meetings,  an  ample 
quantity  of  each  of  the  articles  named  in  this  section  for  use  at 
all  meetings  to  be  held  in  such  city  or  town." 

SEC.  5.     This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and  all 
acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 


ELECTION    LAWS.  11 


CHAPTER  1034. 
AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  SECTIONS  1,  7,  8,  22,  24,  31,  57,  58   Approved 

1  Anril  21    1Q14 

AND  61  OF  CHAPTER  11,  OF  THE  GENERAL  LAWS,  ENTITLED   - 
"OF  ELECTIONS  BY  SECRET  BALLOT,"     AS  AMENDED  BY 
SECTION  16  OF  CHAPTER  640  OF  THE  PUBLIC  LAWS,  PASSED 
AT  THE  AUGUST  SESSION,  A.  D.  1910. 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.  Section  1  of  Chapter  11  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 

"Section  1.     For  all  elections  of  electors  of  president  and   Ballots  used  at 

state  elections 

vice-president  of  the  United  States,  senators  and  representatives  how  to  be 

furnished. 

in  the  congress  of  the  United  States,  general  officers  of  the  state, 
and  members  of  the  general  assembly,  the  nominations  for  such 
officers  shall  be  printed  on  one  ballot,  together  with  any  pro- 
posed amendment  to  the  constitution  of  the  state  or  other 
question  submitted  to  the  electors  of  the  state.  The  printing 
of  such  ballots  and  the  instruction-sheets  hereinafter  provided, 
and  the  delivery  of  them  to  the  several  cities  and  towns  shall 
be  paid  for  by  the  state.  The  distribution  of  the  ballots  to  the 
voters  shall  be  paid  for  by  the  cities  and  towns,  respectively." 

SEC.  2.  Section  7  of  Chapter  11  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

"Sec.  7.     Wherever  the  words  "political  party"  are  used   Words 

.  "political 

in  Sections  4,  5  and  6  of  this  chapter,  they  shall  be  construed  to  party"  defined, 
mean  a  political  party  which  at  the  next  preceding  election  of 
state  officers  cast  for  its  candidate  for  governor  at  least  two  per 
centum  of  all  the  votes  cast  in  the  state  for  that  officer. " 

SEC.  3.  Section  8  of  Chapter  11  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 

"Sec.  8.  Nominations  of  candidates  for  any  offices  to  be 
filled  by  the  voters  of  the  state  at  large,  or  of  a  congressional 
district,  may  be  made  by  nomination-papers  signed  in  the  aggre- 


12  ELECTION   LAWS. 

and'senators6™    gate  for  each  candidate  by  not  less  than  five  hundred  qualified 

in  congress 

may  be  voters  of  the  state  in  the  case  of  a  state  office  or  senator  in 

nominated  by 


atives  congress,  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  in  the  case  of  a  representa- 

in  congress  ,.  ., 

by  250  electors.    tlVC  in  COngreSS. 

SEC.  4.  Section  22  of  Chapter  11  of  the  General  Laws,  as 
amended  by  Section  16  of  Chapter  640  of  the  Public  Laws, 
passed  at  the  August  session,  A.  D.  1910,  is  hereby  amended  so 
as  to  read  as  follows  : 

SftSn          "Sec-  22.     AN  certificates  of  nomination  and  nomination- 
fnsp^cti'on,  how    papers  and  all  requests  for  withdrawal  of  the  name  of  any 

long. 

candidate,  and  all  nominations  in  substitution  of  candidates 
so  withdrawing,  when  filed,  shall  be  open,  under  proper  regula- 
tions, to  public  inspection,  and  the  secretary  of  state,  city  clerks 
and  town  clerks,  and  boards  of  canvassers  and  registration, 
respectively,  shall  preserve  the  same  in  their  respective  offices 
not  less  than  two  years." 

SEC.  5.  Section  24  of  Chapter  11  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 

Ballots,  how  "Sec.  24.     Every  ballot  printed  in  accordance  with  the  pro- 

prepared,  and 

con'tafn.  visions  of  this  chapter  shall  contain  the  names  of  all  candidates 

whose  nominations  for  any  offices  specified  in  the  ballot  have  been 
duly  made  and  not  withdrawn  in  accordance  herewith,  and  shall 
contain  no  other  names  except  the  surnames  of  candidates  for 
president  and  vice-president  of  the  United  States.  The  names 
of  all  such  candidates  and  the  offices  for  which  they  are  nomi- 
nated shall  be  arranged  on  the  ballot  in  perpendicular  columns, 
one  column  being  assigned  to  each  political  party  making  nomi- 
nations by  convention,  caucus  or  nomination  papers  in  accord- 
ance with  the  provisions  of  this  chapter:  Provided,  however, 
that  in  case  only  a  partial  list  of  candidates  is  nominated  by  any 
political  party  other  than  the  republican  or  democratic  party, 
two  or  more  such  lists  may  be  arranged  whenever  practicable 
in  the  same  column. 


ELECTION   LAWS.  13 

"The  first  column  on  the  left-hand  side  of  every  ballot  Same  subject 
printed  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  this  chapter  shall 
contain  only  the  names  of  the  nominees  of  the  republican  party; 
the  second  column  only  those  of  the  democratic  party;  and  the 
order  of  such  other  nominations  as  may  be  made  shall  be 
determined  by  the  official  whose  duty  it  is  to  prepare  the  ballots. 
At  the  top  of  each  column  or  list,  immediately  above  the  title 
of  the  first  office  to  be  voted  for,  there  shall  be  printed  in  capital 
letters  not  less  than  one-fourth  of  an  inch  in  height  the  name 
of  the  political  party  by  which  the  candidates  in  such  column 
were  nominated.  In  case  a  nomination  is  made  by  nomination- 
papers,  the  words  "nom.  papers"  shall  be  added  to  the  party 
name. 

"Above  such  party  name  shall  be  printed  a  circle  not  less  same  subject, 
than  seven-eights  of  an  inch  hi  diameter,  and  such  circle  shall 
be  surrounded  by  the  following  words  printed  in  plain  letters: 
'For  a  straight  ticket  make  a  cross  (X)  within  the  circle.' 
Above  each  circle  shall  be  printed  an  emblem  or  device  designat- 
ing or  distinguishing  the  political  party  whose  nominations 
have  been  assigned  to  that  column.  Such  emblem  or  devise 
of  the  republican  party  shall  be  the  representation  of  an  eagle, 
and  such  emblem  or  device  of  the  democratic  party  shall  be  the 
representation  of  a  star.  The  emblem  or  device  designating 
or  distinguishing  any  other  political  party  whose  nominations 
may  now,  or  from  tune  to  time,  be  entitled  to  be  placed  upon 
the  ballot  shall  be  selected  by  the  secretary  of  state  and  be 
printed  upon  the  ballot  above  the  column  assigned  to  the  nomi- 
nations of  such  party:  Provided,  however,  that  the  emblem 
or  device  shall  be  entirely  different  for  each  political  party,  and 
may  be  any  appropriate  symbol;  but  neither  the  coat  of  arms 
or  seal  of  any  state  or  of  the  United  States,  the  national  flag, 
any  religious  emblem  or  symbol,  the  seal  of  any  society,  the 
portrait  of  any  person,  or  the  representation  of  a  coin  or  of  the 
currency  of  the  United  States,  shall  be  chosen  as  a  distinguish- 


14  ELECTION   LAWS. 

ing  emblem.  Whenever  any  emblem  or  device  has  been 
selected  by  the  secretary  of  state,  and  used  upon  official  ballots 
for  any  political  party,  it  shall  not  thereafter  be  so  used  for 
any  other  political  party. 

Same  subject.  "  In  each  column  the  names  of  the  candidates,  their  residence, 
together  with  the  street  and  number  if  any,  shall  be  placed 
immediately  below  the  title  of  the  office  for  which  they  are 
nominated,  and  at  the  right  of  the  name  of  each  candidate  and 
on  the  same  line  there  shall  be  a  square  so  printed  as  to  give  the 
voter  an -opportunity  to  designate  by  a  cross  (X)  therein  his 
choice  of  candidates ;  except  that  in  case  of  candidates  for  electors 
of  president  and  vice-president  of  the  United  States  one  square 
shall  suffice  for  each  group  of  such  candidates.  Above  the  last 
or  right-hand  column  of  each  ballot  there  shall  be  no  circle  or 
device,  but  there  shall  be  printed  in  such  column  in  the  regular 
order  the  title  of  each  office  to  be  voted  for;  as  'For  governor,' 
'For  senator,'  and  the  like,  and  beneath  each  title  there  shall 
be  left  as  many  blank  lines  as  there  are  persons  to  be  elected 
to  such  office. 

Same  subject.  "On  ballots  provided  for  elections  mentioned  in  Section  1  of 
this  chapter  the  various  offices  to  be  voted  for  shall  be  arranged 
in  each  column  in  the  following  order :  First,  electors  of  presi- 
dent and  vice-president  of  the  United  States;  second,  senator  in 
the  congress  of  the  United  States;  third,  representative  in 
the  congress  of  the  United  States;  fourth,  governor;  fifth, 
lieutenant-governor;  sixth,  secretary  of  state;  seventh,  attorney- 
general;  eighth,  general  treasurer;  ninth,  senator  in  the  general 
assembly;  tenth,  representative  or  representatives  hi  the  general 
assembly.  On  ballots  provided  for  elections  mentioned  in 
Sections  2  and  3  of  this  chapter  the  offices  to  be  voted  for  shall 
be  arranged  in  each  column  by  the  city  or  town  clerk. 

Same  subject.  "  Whenever  a  constitutional  amendment  or  other  question 
is  submitted  to  the  vote  of  the  electors  of  the  state,  such  amend- 
ment or  question  shall,  if  candidates  for  office  are  to  be  voted  for 


ELECTION   LAWS.  15 

at  the  same  time,  be  printed  upon  the  ballot  after  or  beneath 
the  list  of  candidates,  and  the  same  arrangement  shall  be  fol- 
lowed on  ballots  used  in  elections  for  officers  named  in  Sections  2 
and  3  of  this  chapter,  whenever  a  question  is  submitted  to  the 
electors  of  a  city  or  town  at  such  elections.  The  ballots  shall  be 
so  printed  as  to  give  to  each  voter  an  opportunity  to  designate 
by  a  cross-mark  (X)  in  a  square  his  answer  to  the  question 
submitted. 

"All  ballots  provided  by  the  secretary  of  state  under  the  Same 8Ubj"ect. 
provisions  of  this  chapter  shall  be  printed  on  plain  white  paper 
of  a  quality  approved  by  him,  and  there  shall  be  no  mark  or 
impression  to  distinguish  one  ballot  from  another.     The  names 
of  all  candidates  shall  be  printed  thereon  in  uniform  type. " 

SEC.  6.     Section  31  of  Chapter  11  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 

"Sec.  31.     The  secretary  of   state  shall   send  the  ballots   Ballots, 
provided  by  him  for  any  election,  together  with  the  specimen   by  secretary  of 

state. 

ballots  and  instruction-sheets  printed  by  him  as  herein  provided 
to  the  several  city  and  town  clerks,  so  as  to  be  received  by  them 
forty-eight  hours  at  least  previous  to  the  day  of  election.  The 
same  shall  be  sent  in  a  sealed  package,  with  marks  on  the  outside 
clearly  designating  the  polling  place  for  which  the  pacakge  is 
intended  and  the  number  of  ballots  enclosed ;  and  the  respective 
city  and  town  clerks  shall,  on  delivery  to  them  of  such  package, 
return  receipt  therefor  to  the  secretary.  The  secretary  shall 
keep  a  record  of  the  time  when,  and  the  manner  in  which,  the 
package  is  sent  and  shall  preserve  for  the  period  of  two  years 
the  receipt  of  the  city  and  town  clerks. " 

SEC.  7.     Section  57  of  Chapter  11  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

"Sec.  57.     If  at  least  one-tenth  in  number  of  the  qualified   Towns  may 
electors    hi    any    town,    not   including    cities,    shall,    twenty   the  provisions 

of  this  chapter 

days  previous  to  any  general  election  of  state  officers  on  the   for  *?wn 

elections. 

Tuesday  next    after    the    first  Monday    in    November,   file 


16  ELECTION   LAWS. 

with  the  town  clerk  of  such  town  a  petition  that  the  electors 
may  at  such  general  election  cast  their  ballots  for  or  against 
accepting  the  provisions  of  this  chapter  so  far  as  the  same  apply 
to  the  elections  mentioned  in  Section  3  of  this  chapter  such  town 
clerk  shall  give  notice  of  the  same  in  his  warrant  calling  the  town 
or  district  meetings  and  shall  at  least  eighteen  days  previous 
to  the  day  of  such  election  file  with  the  secretary  of  state  a 
certificate  that  the  question  'Shall  the  town  accept  the  secret 
ballot  law  for  towns?'  is  to  be  submitted  to  the  vote  of  the 
electors  in  said  town.  If  a  majority  of  the  ballots  so  cast  shall 
be  in  favor  of  accepting  the  provisions  of  this  chapter  so  far 
as  the  same  apply  as  aforesaid,  then  the  said  provisions  of  this 
chapter  shall  be  in  effect  in  such  town;  but  if  a  majority  of 
.the  ballots  so  cast  shall  be  against  accepting  the  provisions  of 
this  chapter,  then  the  said  provisions  of  this  chapter  shall  not 
take  effect  in  said  town." 

SEC.  8.     Section  58  of  Chapter  11  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

ftatet0ab^nthis  "Sec-  58«  Electors  of  this  state  who,  in  time  of  war,  are 
time6  o°  war"  absent  from  the  state  in  the  actual  military  service  of  the  United 
military  service  States,  being  otherwise  qualified,  shall  have  a  right  to  vote  in 

of  United 

vote^or^eftain  a^  elections  in  the  state  for  electors  of  president  and  vice- 
president  of  the  United  States,  senators  and  representatives  in 
congress  and  general  officers  of  the  state,  in  the  following  manner: 
every  such  absent  elector  on  the  day  of  any  such  election  may 
deliver  a  written  or  printed  ballot  with  the  names  of  the  persons 
voted  for  thereon,  and  his  full  Christian  and  surname,  and  his 
voting  residence  in  the  state  by  street  and  number,  written 
at  length  on  the  back  thereof,  to  the  officer  commanding  the 
regiment  or  company  to  which  he  belongs;  and  all  such  ballots, 
certified  by  such  commanding  officer  to  have  been  given  by 
the  electors  whose  names  are  written  thereon,  shall  be  by  such 
commanding  officer  forthwith  sealed  up,  properly  endorsed,  and 
returned  to  the  secretary  of  state,  to  be  by  him  safely  kept  and 


ELECTION   LAWS.  17 

delivered  to  the  returning  board  having  jurisdiction  to  determine 
the  result  of  said  election." 

SEC.  9.    Section  61  of  Chapter  11  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 

"Sec.  61.     At  least  sixty  days  before  any  such  election  whose  Secretary  of 
date  is  fixed  by  law,  and  forthwith  upon  the  ordering  of  any  certified  copies 

of  sections  58 

special  election  of  senators  or  representatives  in  congress,  the  *o  celrt!dnusive' 
secretary  of  state,  in  time  of  war  shall  send  to  the  several  city  offiS™sSin°ned 
and  town  clerks,  except  to  the  city  clerk  of  Providence,  and  to  United  states, 

town  clerks, 

the  clerks  of  the  board  of  canvassers  and  registration  of  the  etc- 
cities  of  Providence  and  Pawtucket  a  certified  copy  of  Sections 
58  to  61,  inclusive  of  this  chapter,  and  shall  send  to  each  com- 
missioned officer  of  every  company  enlisted  in  this  state  in  the 
military  service  of  the  United  States  such  certified  copy, 
together  with  a  form  of  the  requirements  to  be  signed  by  said 
electors  on  the  back  of  said  ballots,  and  a  form  of  certificate  and 
endorsement  on  the  package  containing  the  same  to  be  signed  by 
such  commanding  officer  as  aforesaid,  and  such  other  instructions 
as  he  may  think  proper. " 

SEC.  10.     This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and  all 
acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 


CHAPTER  1037. 

AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  SECTION  3  OF  CHAPTER  47  OF  Approved 
THE  GENERAL  LAWS,  ENTITLED  "OF  CALLING  AND  WARN-  ^£ril 21» 1914- 
ING  TOWN  MEETINGS." 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  A  ssembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.  Section  3  of  Chapter  47  of  the  General  Laws 
is  hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

"Sec.  3.  If,  on  the  day  of  the  town  meeting  for  the  election 
of  town  officers,  any  town  shall  fail  to  make  an  election  of  town 


18  ELECTION   LAWS. 

Town  meeting     clerk,  town  council,  justices  of  the  peace  or  town  treasurer,  the 

for  election  of 

^ynb°efficers       meeting  may  be  adjourned  for  the  purpose  of  completing  the 
when.™6  election  of  those  officers,  but  of  no  others,  from  day  to  day,  not 

exceeding  three  days  beyond  the  first  day  of  meeting." 

SEC.  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and  all 

acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 


CHAPTER  1038. 
Approved  AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  SECTION  3  OF  CHAPTER  48  OF 

April  21,  1914. 

THE  GENERAL  LAWS,  ENTITLED  "OF  THE  QUORUM,  GOV- 
ERNMENT AND  CONDUCT  OF  TOWN  MEETINGS  AND  OF 
ORGANIZATION  AND  GOVERNMENT  OF  WARD  MEETINGS," 
AS  AMENDED  BY  SECTION  35  OF  CHAPTER  640  OF  THE 
PUBLIC  LAWS,  PASSED  AT  THE  AUGUST  SESSION,  A.  D.  1910, 
AS  AMENDED  BY  SECTION  1  OF  CHAPTER  677  OF  THE  PUB- 
LIC LAWS,  PASSED  AT  THE  JANUARY  SESSION,  A.  D.  1911. 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.     Section  3  of  Chapter  48  of  the  General  Laws, 
as  amended  by  Section  35  of  Chapter  640  of  the  Public  Laws, 
passed  at  the  August  session,  A.  D.  1910,  as  amended  by  Sec- 
tion 1  of  Chapter  677  of  the  Public  Laws,  passed  at  the  January 
session,  A.  D.  1911,  is  hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 
Moderators  and       "  Sec.  3.     Voting-district  moderators  and  clerks,  and  moder- 
divridedTntoWns  ators  and  clerks  of  representative-districts  in  any  city  other 

representative- 
districts,  and       than  the  cities  of  Providence  and  Pawtucket,  and  in  any  town 

cities  other 

dence^nTpaw-  divided  into  representative-districts,  shall  be  elected  by  and  from 
elected.  °  the  qualified  electors  of  their  respective  districts  on  the  day  of 
the  election  of  city  or  town  officers  in  such  city  or  town;  they 
shall  hold  their  offices  as  prescribed  in  the  charter  of,  or  special 
or  general  law,  applicable  to  such  city  or  town,  repectively;  and 
the  voting  for  them  shall  continue  during  the  whole  time 
limited  by  law  for  voting  on  the  day  of  such  election.  They 


ELECTION   LAWS.  19 

shall  be  engaged  to  the  faithful  and  impartial  discharge  of  the 
duties  of  their  office  and  to  support  the  constitution  and  laws  of 
the  state  and  the  constitution  of  the  United  States. 

"Whenever    voting-district    moderators    and     clerks,    and  Boards  of 

canvassers 

moderators  and  clerks  of  representative  districts  have  not  been  may  appoint 

moderators  and 

elected  in  any  city  or  town,  the  board  of  canvassers  of  said  city  clerks>  when- 
or  town  shall  appoint  such  officers,  at  least  ten  days  before  any 
election,  or  district  or  town  meeting,  and  such  officers  shall  hold 
office  until  the  appointment  or  election  of  their  successors. 

"In  the  cities  of  Providence  and  Pawtucket,  at  least  ten  TO  be  ap- 
pointed in 
days  prior  to  every  election,  there  shall  be  appointed  by  the  Providence  and 

Pawtucket,  by 

board  of   canvassers  and  registration  thereof,  respectively,  a  vase's  andan~ 
moderator  and  a  clerk  for  each  voting-district  who  shall  be  of 
different  political  parties;  and  who  shall  be  qualified  electors  in 
the  district  for  which  they  are  appointed. 

"Such  moderatois  and  clerks  shall  each  be  able  to  read  the  Qualifications. 
constitution  of  the  state  in  the  English  Ian  guage,  and  to  write 
their  names.  Every  person  appointed  as  aforesaid  shall  be 
forthwith  notified  of  his  appointment  and  shall,  at  least  three 
days  before  any  election  at  which  he  shall  have  been  appointed 
to  serve,  accept  or  decline  said  appointment,  and  shall  be,  at 
least  three  days  prior  to  said  election,  sworn  to  the  faithful 
discharge  of  his  duties  by  some  member  of  said  board  making 
such  appointment.  In  case  any  person  appointed  as  aforesaid  fi^110168'  how 
shall  neglect  to  qualify  or  shall  be  unable  or  fail  to  serve,  the 
vacancy  shall  be  filled  by  the  board  making  such  appointment 
and  such  appointee  shall  be  of  the  same  political  party  as  the 
person  failing  to  qualify,  and  shall,  before  serving,  qualify 
before  some  member  of  said  board. " 

SEC.  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and  all 
acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 


20  ELECTION   LAWS. 

CHAPTER  1039. 

Approved  AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  SECTIONS  13  AND  15  OF  CHAPTER 

49  OF  THE  GENERAL  LAWS,  ENTITLED  "OF  THE  ELECTION 
AND  QUALIFICATION  OF  TOWN  OFFICERS." 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.     Section  13  of  Chapter  49  of  the  General  Laws 
is  hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 

offihcee'rsasnhdaiThat  "Sec.  13.  In  case  any  town  shall,  on  the  day  of  any  such 
ttectecfby*5  election  for  town  officers  fail  to  elect  any  of  the  officers  whom 
they  may  lawfully  choose,  except  town  clerk,  town  council, 
justices  of  the  peace  and  town  treasurer,  the  said  officers  shall  be 
elected  by  the  town  council  of  the  town  at  their  next  meeting : 
Provided,  however,  that  town  councils  may  postpone  the  election 
of  any  of  said  officers  to  some  future  meeting;  and  the  several 
towns  shall  have  full  power  to  delegate  to  their  respective  town 
councils  the  election  of  any  of  the  officers  whom  such  town  may 
lawfully  choose,  except  town  clerk,  town  council,  justices  of  the 
peace  and  town  treasurer." 

SEC.  2.     Section  15  of  Chapter  49  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 
Oath  of  town          "  Sec.  15.     Unless  some  other  form  of  engagement  be  specially 

and  city 

officers.  by  law  prescribed,  every  person  elected  to  any  town  or  city 

office,  whether  by  the  town,  city  council,  board  of  aldermen 
or  town  council,  and  every  moderator  and  warden,  and  ward 
and  district  clerk,  shall  take  the  following  engagement  before  he 
shall  act  therein,  before  some  person  authorized  to  administer 
oaths:  You  (naming  the  person)  do  solemnly  swear  (or  affirm) 
that  you  will  be  true  and  faithful  unto  this  state,  and  support 
the  laws  and  constitution  thereof,  and  the  constitution  of  the 
United  States;  and  that  you  will  well  and  truly  execute  the 
office  of  (naming  the  office)  for  the  term  for  which  you  have 
been  elected,  or  until  another  be  engaged  hi  your  place,  or  until 


ELECTION  LAWS.  21 

you  be  legally  discharged  therefrom;  so  help  you  God  (or,  this 
affirmation  you  make  and  give  upon  peril  of  the  penalty  of 
perjury)." 

SEC.  3.     This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and  all 
acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 


CHAPTER  1041. 


AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  SECTION  4  OF  CHAPTER  51  OF   Approved 
THE  GENERAL  LAWS,  ENTITLED  "OF  THE  TOWN  CLERK. "       Apnl  21>  1914' 


It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.     Section  4  of  Chapter  51  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

"Sec.  4.     If  any  town  clerk,  excepting  the  town  clerk  of  Towncierk, 
Little  Compton,  shall  absent  himself  from  his  office  between  9 : 00   twenty  days 

before  election. 

o'clock  hi  the  forenoon  and  12:00  o'clock  at  noon,  or  between 
2:00  o'clock  and  5:00  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  of  any  day 
except  Sunday,  within  twenty  days  next  preceding  any  meeting 
held  for  the  election  of  state  or  town  officers,  senators  or  repre- 
sentatives in  congress  or  electors  of  president  and  vice-president 
of  the  United  States,  he  shall  appoint  a  deputy  clerk,  whose  duty  TO  appoint 

deputy. 

it  shall  be  to  attend  the  office  during  such  absence,  and  perform 
all  the  duties  thereof:  Provided,  that  it  shall  not  be  necessary 
'  to  appoint  a  deputy  clerk  under  this  section,  whenever  a  deputy 
has  been  or  shall  be  appointed  under  Section  2  of  this  chapter, 
and  continues  competent  to  act  during  any  period  covered  by 
this  section." 

SEC.  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and  all 
acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 


22 


ELECTION  LAWS. 


Approved 
April  24,  1914. 


Elections  of 
representatives 
in  congress, 
when  hoi  den. 


Elections  of 
senators  in 
congress,  when 
holden. 


Plurality  to 
elect. 


CHAPTER  1048. 

AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  THE  TITLE  AND  SECTIONS  3, 
4,  5,  7  AND  8  OF  CHAPTER  16  OF  THE  GENERAL  LAWS,  ENTIT- 
LED "OF  THE  ELECTION  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  IN  THE 
CONGRESS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES." 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.  The  title  of  Chapter  16  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

"Of  the  election  of  senators  and  representatives  in  the 
congress  of  the  United  States." 

SEC.  2.  Section  3  of  Chapter  16  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 

"Sec.  3.  The  election  of  representatives  in  congress  shall 
be  holden  on  the  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  Novem- 
ber in  the  year  one  thousand  nine  hundred  and  fourteen,  and 
on  the  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  November  in 
every  second  year  thereafter. 

"The  election  of  a  senator  in  congress  shall  be  holden  on  the 
Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  November,  in  the  year 
one  thousand  nine  hundred  and  sixteen,  and  on  the  Tuesday 
next  after  the  first  Monday  hi  November  in  every  sixth  year 
thereafter  and  on  the  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in 
November  in  the  year  one  thousand  nine  hundred  and  eighteen, 
and  on  the  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  November 
hi  every  sixth  year  thereafter." 

SEC.  3.  Section  4  of  Chapter  16  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

"Sec.  4.  In  all  elections  of  senators  and  representatives  in 
congress  the  voting  shall  be  by  ballot,  and  the  person  or  candi- 
date receiving  the  largest  number  of  votes  shall  be  declared 
elected." 


ELECTION   LAWS.  23 

SEC.  4.     Section  5  of  Chapter  16  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

"Sec.  5.     The  ballots  given  in  at  any  election  for  senators  Baiiotscastto 

be  delivered  to 

and  representatives  ui  congress,  after  having  been  counted  and  state  returning 

board. 

declared  in  open  meeting  by  the  moderators  or  wardens  and 
clerks,  shall  be  sealed  up  and  certified  in  the  manner  provided 
by  law  and  be  delivered  in  person,  by  the  respective  clerks  of  the 
meetings  where  they  were  given  in,  to  the  state  returning  board 
within  forty -eight  hours  after  such  sealing  is  done:  Provided, 
that  any  such  clerk  may  appoint  in  writing  some  officer  of  the 
town  or  city  where  he  resides  to  deliver  said  ballots  in  his  stead 
in  case  of  his  sickness  or  absolute  inability  to  deliver  them  in 
person." 

SEC.  5.     Section  7  of  Chapter  16  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

"Sec.  7.     In  case  no  person  shall  receive  a  plurality  of  the  New  elections, 
votes  cast  in  said  state  or  in  either  district  at  any  such  election, 
a  new  election  shall  be  held  in  said  state  or  in  such  district  on 
the  fourth  Tuesday  after  the  holding  of  the  election  at  which 
there  was  no  choice.     For  such  election,  any  new  certificates  of  nominations. 
of  nomination  or  nomination-papers  shall  be  filed  ten  days 
previous  to  the  date  of  such  election." 

SEC.  6.     Section  8  of  Chapter  16  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

"Sec.  8.     Whenever  any  person  elected  a  senator  in  congress,   in  case  of 

vacancy  new 

or  a  representative  in  congress  from  either  district,  shall  at  any  election  to  be 

ordered  by 

time  between  the  day  of  his  election  and  the  beginning  of  his  e°vernor- 
term  of  office  refuse  to  serve  and  so  declare  to  the  secretary  of 
state  or  die,  become  insane,  remove  from  the  state,  or  be  other- 
wise incapacitated,  or  whenever  a  vacancy  shall  happen  in  the 
representation  of  this  state  in  congress  whether  as  contemplated 
in  the  second  section  of  the  first  article  of  the  constitution  of  the 
United  States,  or  article  seventeen  of  the  amendments  to  the 
constitution  of  the  United  States,  or  otherwise,  the  governor 


24  ELECTION   LAWS. 

shall  forthwith  issue  his  writ  of  election  directed  to  the  several 
city  and  town  clerks,  ordering  a  new  election  of  senator  or 
representative  in  congress  to  be  held  in  the  state  or  in  such 
district  or  an  election  to  be  held  to  fill  such  vacancy,  as  the 
circumstances  shall  require,  at  as  early  a  date,  to  be  stated  in 
said  writ,  as  will  admit  of  compliance  with  the  provisions  of 
law  in  relation  to  such  elections.  No  elections  provided  for  by 
this  section  shall  be  held  on  Saturday. " 

SEC.  7.     This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and  all 
acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 


CHAPTER  1049. 

Approved  AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  SECTIONS  1,  2,  3,  5,  6,  7,  8  AND 

Anril  24    1914 

17  OF  CHAPTER  12  OF  THE  GENERAL  LAWS,  ENTITLED 
"OF  THE  HOLDING  OF  CAUCUSES  IN  THE  CITIES  OF  PROVI- 
DENCE, NEWPORT  AND  PAWTUCKET,"  AS  AMENDED  BY 
SECTIONS  23,  24,  25,  27  AND  28  OF  CHAPTER  640  OF  THE 
PUBLIC  LAWS,  PASSED  AT  THE  AUGUST  SESSION,  A.  D.  1910. 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.     Section  1  of  Chapter  12  of  the  General  Laws,  as 

amended  by  Section  23  of  Chapter  640  of  the  Public  Laws, 

passed  at  the  August  session,  A.  D.  1910,  is  hereby  amended 

so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

Holding  of  cau-       "Section  1.     In  the  cities  of  Providence,  Newport,  Pawtucket 

cuses i n 

Newport,06'        and  Central  Falls,  the  caucuses  of  all  political  parties  shall  be 
an! Central        held  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  this  chapter.     For 

Falls. 

the  purposes  of  this  chapter,  a  political  party  is  hereby  defined 
to  be  one  which  at  the  next  preceding  election  of  state  officers 
cast  for  its  candidate  for  governor  at  least  two  per  centum  of 
all  the  votes  cast  in  .the  state  for  that  office.  Caucus  and  con- 
vention nominations  shall  be  made  only  by  political  parties. " 


ELECTION   LAWS.  25 

SEC.  2.  Section  2  of  Chapter  12  of  the  General  Laws,  as 
amended  by  Section  24  of  Chapter  640  of  the  Public  Laws,  passed 
at  the  August  session,  A.  D.  1910,  is  hereby  amended  so  as  to 
read  as  follows : 

"Sec.  2.     The  qualified  electors  of  each  political  party  in    Method  of 

each  ward  of  said  cities  shall,  biennially,  at  the  caucus  held  in  and  cTty Com- 
mittees, pow- 
each  ward  of  said  cities  to  elect  delegates  to  a  convention  to  era  and  duties 

thereof. 

nominate  the  mayor  and  other  city  officers,  elect  a  ward  com- 
mittee for  each  ward  of  said  cities :  Provided,  that  in  the  city  of 
Newport  such  ward  committee  shall  be  elected  at  a  caucus  held 
in  each  ward  thereof  after  the  second  Thursday  next  after  the 
first  Monday  in  September,  in  the  year  A.  D.  1914,  and  biennially 
thereafter. 

"The  members  of  the  several  ward  committees  of  each  city 
of  the  same  political  party  shall  constitute  the  city  committee 
of  such  political  party  for  that  city.  Each  city  committee 
shall  within  ten  days  after  its  organization  file  with  the  secretary 
of  state,  a  list  of  its  officers  and  members.  In  Newport  and 
Central  Falls  such  list  shall  also  be  filed  with  the  city  clerk, 
and  in  the  cities  of  Providence  and  Pawtucket,  with  the  boards 
of  canvassers  and  registration. 

"The  general  management  of  the  affairs  of  each  political 
party  in  each  city  shall  be  vested  in  its  city  committee,  subject 
to  the  rules  and  regulations  which  the  state  committee  of  such 
political  party  shall  make.  Any  vacancy  occurring  in  any  of  the 
offices  of  a  city  committee  shall  be  filled  by  such  committee, 
and  any  vacancy  occurring  in  the  membership  of  a  ward  com- 
mittee shall  be  filled  by  the  remaining  members  of  such  ward 
committee.  A  statement  of  such  action  of  any  committee 
shall  be  filed  as  in  the  case  of  officers  and  members  first  chosen. 
Ward  and  city  committees  shall  hold  office,  respectively,  from 
the  date  of  their  election  until  the  next  election  of  such  com- 
mittees and  thereafter  until  their  successors  shall  have  organ- 
ized. City  committees  may  make  regulations,  not  inconsistent 


26  ELECTION  LAWS. 

with  law,  to  determine  membership  in  the  party  so  far  as  the 
right  is  concerned  to  participate  in  the  caucuses  of  which  they 
have  the  management  and  control,  and  to  restrain  those  not 
entitled  to  vote  at  caucuses  called  by  them  from  taking  part 
therein,  and  such  regulations  shall  be  furnished  to  and  shall 
govern  the  officers  by  this  chapter  charged  with  the  duty  of 
preparing  caucus  voting-lists  in  the  preparation  of  such  lists,  so 
far  as  they  are  not  inconsistent  with  this  chapter.  Each  ward 
committee  shall  attend  the  caucuses  of  the  party  to  which  it 
belongs,  held  in  the  ward  from  which  it  was  elected,  to  perform 
the  duties  herein  imposed  upon  it. " 

SEC.  3.     Section  3  of  Chapter  12  of  the  General  Laws,  as 

amended  by  Section  25  of  Chapter  640  of  the  Public  Laws, 

passed  at  the  August  session,  A.  D.  1910,  is  hereby  amended 

so  as  to  read  as  follows: 

Can  for  cau-  "Sec.  3.     All  caucuses  in  said  cities  shall  be  held  at  the  call 

cuses,  how  to 

whaTtodcon-d  °^  the  C^Y  committee  of  the  political  party  holding  such  caucuses. 
No  two  political  parties  shall  hold  their  caucuses  on  the  same 
day.  The  call  for  such  caucuses  shall  be  issued  not  less  than  five 
days  prior  to  the  day  on  which  they  are  to  be  held.  It  shall 
state  the  places  where  such  caucuses  are  to  be  held,  the  hour 
of  holding  the  same,  the  time  during  which  the  polls  are  to  remain 
open,  and  the  business  to  -be  transacted  thereat,  and  shall  be 
published  at  least  twice  in  one  or  more  newspapers  published  in 
the  city  hi  which  such  caucuses  shall  be  held,  or  in  some  news- 
paper having  general  circulation  therein:  Provided,  however, 
that  the  call  for  the  city  of  Central  Falls  shall  be  published  in 
one  or  more  newspapers  which  are  circulated  in  said  Central 
Falls  and  which  are  published  in  either  the  city  of  Pawtucket  or 
the  city  of  Providence." 

SEC.  4.     Section  5  of  Chapter  12  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 

toabTheki.when  "Sec.  5.  No  caucus,  except  a  caucus  adjourned  under  the 
provisions  of  Section  14  of  this  chapter,  shall  be  held  within 


ELECTION  LAWS.  27 

two  days,  exclusive  of  Sundays  and  legal  holidays,  of  the  last 
day  for  filing  the  certificate  of  the  nominations  of  such  caucus, 
nor  shall  any  political  party  hold  caucuses  on  successive  days. 
All  caucuses  excepting  those  necessary  for  a  special  election  shall 
be  held  after  the  second  Thursday,  next  after  the  first  Monday 
in  September  in  any  year,  and  all  caucuses  for  the  nomination 
of  candidates  for  the  city  council  of  either  of  said  cities  excepting 
those  necessary  for  a  special  election  shall  be  held  within  twenty- 
five  days  of  the  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  hi  Novem- 
ber in  any  year.  Caucuses  necessary  for  a  special  election  shall 
be  held  not  more  than  ten  days  before  nor  within  two  days, 
exclusive  of  Sundays  and  legal  holdidays,  of  the  last  day  for 
filing  the  certificates  of  the  nominations  of  such  caucuses." 

SEC.  5.  Section  6  of  Chapter  12  of  the  General  Laws,  as 
amended  by  Section  27  of  Chapter  640  of  the  Public  Laws, 
passed  at  the  August  session,  A.  D.  1910,  is  hereby  amended  so 
as  to  read  as  follows : 

"Sec.  6.     In  said  cities  the  city  committee  of  each  political  caucus  officers 

to  be  selected 

party  shall,  at  least  two  days  prior  to  holding  the  first  caucus  by  city  com- 
mittee. 

next  after  the  first  Monday  in  September,  appoint  a  caucus 
moderator  for  each  representative-district,  and  a  caucus  clerk 
for  each  voting-district  therein,  and  a  caucus  warden  for  each 
ward,  and  a  caucus  clerk  for  each  voting-district  therein.  Each 
of  said  moderators  or  wardens  and  clerks  shall  be  a  qualified 
elector  of  the  representative-district  or  ward  for  which  he  is 
appointed  and  a  member  of  such  political  party.  Said  com- 
mittees shall  respectively  fill  all  vacancies  which  occur  in  such 
offices  for  any  cause,  including  that  of  removal  from  the  ward 
or  representative-district,  or  voting-district,  and  as  hereinafter 
provided. 

"Each  committee  making  such  appointment  shall  file  with 
the  boards  of  canvassers  and  registration  in  the  cities  of  Provi- 
dence and  Pawtucket,  respectively,  and  in  each  of  the  other 
cities  with  the  city  clerk,  at  least  one  day  previous  to  the  date 


28  ELECTION  LAWS. 

selected  by  its  party  for  holding  any  caucus,  the  names  of  the 
persons  appointed  by  them  caucus  officers  as  aforesaid;  and 
all  caucus  officers  so  appointed  shall  hold  office  until  the  first 
day  of  January  next  succeeding  their  appointment  and  thereafter 
until  their  successors  are  appointed,  and  shall  have  the  same 
powers  and  duties,  in  the  conduct  of  caucuses,  as  are  conferred 
and  imposed  by  law  upon  similar  officers  of  elective  meetings. 

"In  case  of  a  change  of  the  lines  of  a  representative-district 
or  of  a  ward  in  any  of  said  cities,  or  of  a  redivision  of  any 
representative-district  thereof  into  voting-districts,  the  city 
committee  of  each  political  party  thereof  may  revoke  such 
appointments  by  them,  respectively,  made  in  the  case  of  all 
caucus  moderators,  wardens,  and  clerks  who  by  reason  of  such 
change  or  redivision  become  ineligible  to  serve  on  account  of 
residence,  and  appoint  others  in  their  stead,  and  the  city  com- 
mittee of  each  political  party  shall  appoint  a  caucus  moderator, 
and  in  each  new  representative-district  or  voting-district  so 
created,  if  necessary,  the  city  committee  of  each  political  party 
shall  appoint  a  caucus  warden  and  caucus  clerk  in  each  new 
representative-district  or  voting-district  so  created." 

SEC.  6.  Section  7  of  Chapter  12  of  the  General  Laws,  as 
amended  by  Section  28  of  Chapter  640  of  the  Public  Laws, 
passed  at  the  August  session,  A.  D.  1910,  is  hereby  amended  so 
as  to  read  as  follows: 

caucus  officers.  "Sec.  7.  The  caucus  moderator  or  warden  appointed  as 
hereinbefore  provided,  shall  call  the  caucus  of  his  political 
party  to  order,  and  shall  preside  thereat.  Each  caucus  clerk 
shall  check  the  voting-list  of  the  district  in  which  he  is  appointed 
to  serve.  In  case  a  caucus  moderator  or  warden  is  absent  at 
the  time  at  which  the  caucus  has  been  called,  or  in  case  a  caucus 
moderator  or  warden  becomes  incapacitated  during  the  holding 
of  the  caucus,  the  ward  committee,  or  a  majority  of  the  members 
thereof  present  at  such  caucus,  shall  appoint  a  qualified  elector 
of  such  party  residing  in  the  representative-district  as  caucus 


ELECTION   LAWS.  29 

moderator,  or  a  qualified  elector  residing  in  the  ward  as  caucus 
warden,  for  such  caucus.  If  no  member  of  the  ward  committee 
is  present,  the  clerk  of  the  first  district  hi  such  representative- 
district  or  ward,  or  in  case  of  his  absence  or  incapacity,  then  of 
the  district  clerks  present  the  one  next  in  numerical  order  of  the 
districts,  shall  call  the  meeting  to  order,  and  the  electors  present 
shall  elect  some  qualified  person  as  caucus  moderator  or  warden 
of  such  caucus.  In  case  a  caucus  clerk  is  absent  at  the  time  at 
which  the  caucus  has  been  called,  or  in  case  a  caucus  clerk 
becomes  incapacitated  from  performing  his  duties  as  such  during 
the  holding  of  the  caucus,  the  ward  committee  of  such  ward, 
or  such  majority  thereof,  shall  appoint  some  qualified  elector 
of  the  representative-district  or  ward,  respectively,  as  such  caucus 
clerk.  If  no  member  of  the  ward  committee  is  present  the 
caucus  moderator  or  warden  shall  appoint  some  qualified  elector 
as  aforesaid  as  caucus  clerk.  All  caucuses  shall  be  called  to 
order  at  seven  o'clock  P.  M.  All  nominations  of  candidates  Hours  during 

which  caucus 

for  office  shall  be  made  by  filing  the  names  of  said  candidates  in   must  remain 

open. 

writing  with  said  moderator  or  warden,  after  seven  and  before 
seven-thirty  o'clock  P.  M.,  and  no  ballot  shall  be  counted 
for  any  candidate  for  office  not  so  nominated.  The  polls  shall 
be  opened  at  or  before  seven-thirty  o'clock  P.  M.,  and  the  ballot 
boxes  shall  be  opened  and  the  interior  thereof  exposed  to  the 
view  of  all  present  by  the  warden  before  any  ballots  are  cast. 
Any  necessary  business  not  finished  at  seven-thirty  o'clock 
P.  M.,  shall  be  postponed  until  after  the  polls  are  closed  and  the 
result  of  the  balloting  announced.  The  polls  shall  be  kept  open 
until  ten  o'clock  P.  M.,  and  no  longer:  Provided,  however,  that 
the  time  for  closing  the  polls  at  the  caucuses  in  said  city  of 
Central  Falls  shall  be  at  nine  o'clock  P.  M.;  and  provided, 
further,  that  in  the  event  of  but  one  nomination  for  each  politi- 
cal office  the  polls  in  each  city  shall  be  kept  open  thirty  minutes. 
Except  for  the  filing  of  vacancies  in  the  office  of  caucus  modera- 
tor or  warden  and  caucus  clerk,  as  hereinbefore  provided  hi  this 


30  ELECTION   LAWS. 

section,  a  ballot  shall  be  required  for  the  choice  of  all  candidates 

for  elective  office,  for  delegates  to  conventions,  and  for  members 

of  ward  committees,  to  be  elected  by  such  caucus.     All  ballots 

Form  of  shall  be  printed  or  written  on  white  paper,  and  no  tissue  paper 

caucus  ballot. 

shall  be  used  for  any  caucus  ballot.  The  names  of  all  candidates 
for  which  any  elector  shall  vote  at  any  caucus  shall  be  printed 
or  written  upon  one  ballot." 

SEC.  7.     Section  8  of  Chapter  12  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 
who  may  take        "Sec.  8.     No  person  shall  be  entitled  to  vote  or  take  part 

part  in  caucus. 

in  the  caucus  of  any  political  party  who  within  twenty-six 
calendar  months  has  voted  or  taken  part  in  the  caucus  of  any 
other  political  party,  or  has  signed  nomination-papers  of  a 
candidate  or  candidates  for  any  elective  officer,  or  has  voted  in 
any  election  for  the  candidates  of  any  other  political  party  or 
for  candidates  placed  in  nomination  by  nomination -papers,  or  is 
debarred  from  so  voting  or  taking  part  by  the  regulations  of  such 
party  provided  for  in  Section  2  of  this  chapter.  No  person  who 
has  voted  in  the  caucus  of  any  political  party  shall  be  eligible  to 
sign  any  nomination-paper  containing  nominations  of  candidates, 
within  twenty -six  calendar  months  thereafter." 

SEC.  8.     Section  17  of  Chapter  12  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

SreteSTuider  "Sec.  17.  The  city  clerks  of  Newport  and  Central  Falls, 
voting  ihfts?  and  the  board  of  canvassers  and  registration  of  the  cities  of 
period*  Providence  and  Pawtucket  shall  retain  under  seal  for  the  period 

of  twenty-six  calendar  months  all  of  the  voting-lists  returned  to 
them  under  the  provisions  of  this  chapter:  Provided,  that  such 
lists  may  be  unsealed  for  use  in  the  proceedings  provided  for 
in  Sections  10  and  16  of  this  chapter,  after  which  they  shall  be 
immediately  resealed  and  that  the  city  clerks  of  Newport  and 
Central  Falls,  or  the  board  of  canvassers  and  registration  in 
Providence  or  of  Pawtucket,  after  a  check-list  has  been  used  at  a 
caucus  of  a  political  party  held  under  the  provisions  of  this 


ELECTION   LAWS.  31 

chapter,  upon  written  application  for  a  copy  of  the  list  as 
checked,  signed  by  any  qualified  elector  in  the  city  where  such 
list  was  used,  and  upon  payment  or  tender  of  the  fees  provided 
by  law  therefor,  may  unseal  and  open  the  wrapper  containing 
such  check-list,  and  shall  furnish  to  such  applicant  a  certified 
copy  of  the  list  as  checked,  and  shall  then  reseal  the  same. " 

SEC.  9.  The  provisions  of  chapter  12  of  the  General  Laws 
debarring  persons  who  have  signed  nomination  papers  from 
voting  or  taking  part  in  the  caucuses  of  political  parties  shall 

Certain  persons 

not  prevent  those  persons  who  have  signed  nomination-papers  not  to  be  pre- 
vented from 

or  who  have  voted  for  candidates  under  the  designation  of  a  ^J*^rtlB 
political  party  not  then  recognized  by  said  chapter  from  voting 
or  taking  part  in  the  caucuses  of  said  political  party  which  has 
become  such  under  the  definition  of  said  chapter. 

SEC.  10.  This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and 
all  acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby 
repealed. 


CHAPTER  1050. 
AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  SECTIONS  2,  3,  11,  16  AND  17  OF   Approved 

April  24,  1914. 

CHAPTER  19  OF  THE  GENERAL  LAWS,  ENTITLED  "OF  THE   - 
STATE  RETURNING  BOARD  AND  DEFINING  ITS  DUTIES." 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.     Section  2  of  Chapter  19  of  the  General  Laws 
is  hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

"Sec.  2.     The  ballots  cast  for  electors  of  president  and  vice-  Ballots  oast 

tor  certain 

president  of  the  United  States,  senators  and  representatives  tondlliountcdc '' 
in  congress,  general  officers  and  senators  and  representatives  Aboard1?  u 
in  the  general  assembly,  and  for  and  against  any  proposed 
amendment  of  the  constitution  of  the  state,  or  any  question 
submitted  to  the  electors  of  the  state,  shall  be  counted  and 
tabulated  by  said  board." 


32  ELECTION   LAWS. 

SEC.  2.     Section  3  of  Chapter  19  of  the  General  Laws  is  hereby 
amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 

baiVote,nwhen  "Sec.  3.  Said  board  shall  commence  the  counting  and  tabu- 
lating of  such  ballots  within  twenty-four  hours  after  their 
reception  or  the  reception  of  any  of  them,  and  shall  continue 
and  complete  the  same  with  all  reasonable  expedition." 

SEC.  3.     Section  11  of  Chapter  19  of  the  General  Laws,  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 
Ballots,  when          "Sec.  11.     When  the  counting  and  tabulating  of  the  ballots 

and  how  sealed 

counting.  cas*  a^  any  one  voting-place  or  voting-district  provided  for  in 

this  chapter  has  been  completed,  such  ballots,  together  with  the 
moderators'  or  wardens',  clerks'  and  supervisors'  returns 
pertaining  to  the  same,  shall  be  again  sealed  up  before  the 
counting  and  tabulating  of  those  from  another  voting-district 
is  commenced,  and  said  board  shall  not  take  any  recess  or 
adjournment  while  any  of  said  ballots  are  unsealed.  The  sealing 
herein  provided  for,  shall  be  done  by  affixing  to  the  packages 
containing  said  ballots  adhesive  labels  sufficient  in  number  to 
prevent  the  abstraction  of  any  ballots  from  or  the  adding  of 
any  ballots  to  the  contents  of  such  packages,  and  the  presiding 
officer  and  secretary  of  said  board  shall  affix  their  signatures  in 
ink  to  each  of  said  labels.  Whenever  both  of  the  officers  whose 
duty  it  is  to  sign  such  labels  are  of  the  same  political  party,  they 
shall  allow  some  elector  of  another  political  party  to  affix  his 

Endorsement  of  signature  in  ink  to  all  of  such  labels.     Each  package  so  sealed 

packages 

sealed  up.  shall  be  endorsed  by  the  secretary  of  said  board  with  the  name 
of  the  town  or  city  and  the  number  of  the  ward  or  voting- 
district  where,  and  the  date  of  the  election  at  which,  such  ballots 
were  given  in.  Thereafter  no  such  sealed  package  shall,  upon 
any  pretence  whatever,  be  reopened  by  any  person  except  upon 
order  of  the  general  assembly;  but  shall  be  held  by  said  board 
subject  to  such  order  until  the  first  day  of  January  hi  the  third 
year  after  such  ballots  were  cast,  when  they  may  be  destroyed. " 


ELECTION   LAWS.  33 

SEC.  4.    Section  16  of  Chapter  19  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

"Sec.  16.  Said  board  may  employ  a  secretary,  who  shall  be  state  return- 
paid  a  salary  of  one  thousand  dollars  per  year  for  and  during  ^creteT'and* 
each  calendar  year  in  which  an  election  of  general  officers  is  held  distance. 
and  during  every  other  calendar  year  such  secretary  shall  be 
paid  in  compensation  for  his  services  the  sum  of  twenty-five 
dollars  for  each  day  of  actual  service  as  secretary  of  said  board, 
and  the  state  auditor  is  hereby  directed  to  draw  his  orders  upon 
the  general  treasurer  for  the  payment  of  such  per  diem  com- 
pensation out  of  any  money  in  the  treasury  not  otherwise 
appropriated,  upon  receipt  of  vouchers  therefor  approved  by 
a  majority  of  the  members  of  said  board.  The  board  may  em- 
ploy such  other  clerical  assistance  as  may  be  necessary  to  enable 
it  to  seasonably  complete  its  work  at  an  expense  of  not  exceeding 
eight  hundred  dollars  per  year  for  and  during  each  calendar 
year  in  which  an  election  of  general  officers  is  held,  and  of  not 
exceeding  two  hundred  dollars  per  year  for  every  other  calendar 
year." 

SEC.  5.     Section  17  of  Chapter  19  of  the  General  Laws  is 
hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as  follows: 

"Sec.  17.  The  members  of  said  board  shall  each  receive  compensation 
a  salary  of  five  hundred  dollars  per  year  for  and  during  each 
calendar  year  in  which  an  election  of  general  officers  is  held,  and 
during  every  other  calendar  year  said  members  shall  each  be 
paid  in  compensation,  the  sum  of  twenty-five  dollars  for  each 
day  of  actual  service  as  members  of  said  board;  and  the  state 
auditor  is  hereby  directed  to  draw  his  orders  upon  the  general 
treasurer  for  the  payment  of  such  per  diem  compensation  to 
said  members,  out  of  any  money  in  the  treasury  not  otherwise 
appropriated,  upon  receipt  of  vouchers  therefor  approved  by  a 
majority  of  the  members  of  said  board." 

SEC.  6.     This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and  all 
acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 


34  ELECTION    LAWS. 


CHAPTER  1051. 

Approved  AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  SECTIONS  19,  20,  24,  25  AND  26 

OF  CHAPTER  25  OF  THE  GENERAL  LAWS,  ENTITLED  "OF  THE 
CONSTITUTION  AND  ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  GENERAL 
ASSEMBLY,"  AS  AMENDED  BY  SECTION  34  OF  CHAPTER  640 
OF  THE  PUBLIC  LAWS,  PASSED  AT  THE  AUGUST  SESSION, 
A.  D.  1910. 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.  Section  19  of  Chapter  25  of  the  General  Laws, 
as  amended  by  Section  34  of  Chapter  640  of  the  Public  Laws, 
passed  at  the  August  session,  A.  D.  1910,  is  hereby  amended  so 
as  to  read  as  follows : 

^teufpr^.  "Sec.  19.     The  secretary  of  state  shall  receive  and  examine 

seMtore-dect      the  certificates  of  election  of  senators  and  representatives  to 
tives-eiect          the  general  assembly  returned  to  his  office  by  the  state  returning- 

from  certifi- 

returrintate  board,  and  shall  make  separate  lists  of  the  persons  therein 
named  as  elected  to  the  offices  of  senators  and  representatives, 
respectively.  In  case  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  on  the 
first  Tuesday  of  January,  A.  D.  1915,  and  on  the  first  Tuesday 
in  January,  biennially,  thereafter,  there  shall  be  no  such  certifi- 
cate received  by  the  secretary  of  state  of  the  election  of  senator, 
representative,  or  representatives,  or  either  or  any  of  them, 
from  any  city  or  town,  the  secretary  of  state  shall  also  place 
on  said  lists,  respectively,  the  names  of  the  persons  then  holding 
the  offices  for  which  there  is  no  certificate  returned  or  received 
as  aforesaid  of  the  election  of  any  other  person  to  said  office." 

SEC.  2.  Section  20  of  Chapter  25  of  the  General  Laws,  as 
amended  by  Section  34  of  Chapter  640  of  the  Public  Laws, 
passed  at  the  August  session,  A.  D.  1910,  is  hereby  amended  so 
as  to  read  as  follows: 

"Sec.  20.  At  or  before  twelve  o'clock,  noon,  on  the  first 
Tuesday  in  January,  A.  D.  1915,  and  on  the  first  Tuesday  in 


ELECTION   LAWS.  35 

/ 

January,   biennially,   thereafter,   the  secretary  of  state   shall  Secretary  of 

state  to  deliver 

certify  and  deliver  to  the  reading  clerk  of  the  house  of  repre-  house^eertified 
sentatives  the  list  of  persons,  made  up  as  provided  in  the  preced-  gentati^s'Sect. 
ing  section  of  this  chapter,  entitled  to  seats  in  the  house  of 
representatives,  and  shall  certify  and  retain  in  his  possession  the 
list  of  persons,  made  up  as  aforesaid,  entitled  to  seats  in  the 
senate." 

SEC.  3.  Section  24  of  Chapter  25  of  the  General  Laws,  as 
amended  by  Section  34  of  Chapter  640  of  the  Public  Laws,  passed 
at  the  August  session,  A.  D.  1910,  is  hereby  amended  so  as  to 
read  as  follows : 

"Sec.  24.     On  the  first  Tuesday  in  January,  A.  D.  1915,  at  Date  of  first 

i-i.i  .i^.mi'T  ,     meeting  of  sen- 

twelve  o  clock,  noon,  and  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  January,  at  ate  and  house, 

biennially. 

twelve  o'clock,  noon,  biennially,  thereafter,  the  persons  whose 
names  are  borne  on  the  respective  lists  aforesaid  shall  be 
admitted  to  take  seats  as  members  of  the  senate  and  house  of 
representatives,  respectively,  and  such  persons  shall  assemble 
at  said  time  in  their  respective  chambers  at  Providence  and  take 
their  engagement  of  office  before  the  secretary  of  state,  attorney- 
general,  or  some  person  authorized  by  law  to  administer  oaths. " 

SEC.  4.  Section  25  of  Chapter  25  of  the  General  Laws,  as 
amended  by  Section  34  of  Chapter  640  of  the  Public  Laws,  passed 
at  the  August  session,  A.  D.  1910,  is  hereby  amended  so  as 
to  read  as  follows : 

"  Sec.  25.     At  the  time  specified  hi  Section  24  of  this  chapter,   proceedings  to 
the  senate  shall  be  called  to  order  by  the  lieutenant-governor,   organizing  the 

senate. 

or  in  his  absence  by  the  secretary  of  state.  The  roll  of  members 
as  appears  by  said  list  of  senators  shall  then  be  called  by  the 
clerk,  and  said  list  shall  be  corrected  by  the  secretary  of  state 
as  hereinbefore  provided.  In  the  absence  of  the  lieutenant- 
governor,  the  senate  shall  then  proceed  to  elect  one  of  their 
members  to  preside.  If  twenty  of  the  members  whose  names 
appear  upon  said  lists  are  present,  but  not  otherwise,  the 
senate  then  shall  organize  by  electing  a  clerk,  and  shall  forthwith 


36  ELECTION    LAWS. 

notify  said  house  of  representatives  that  it  is  duly  organized 
and  ready  to  proceed  with  the  business  of  the  session.  Said 
clerk  shall  hold  office  for  two  years,  and  until  his  successor  is 
elected  and  qualified." 

SEC.  5.  Section  26  of  Chapter  25  of  the  General  Laws,  as 
amended  by  Section  34  of  Chapter  640  of  the  Public  Laws, 
passed  at  the  August  session,  A.  D.  1910,  is  hereby  amended  so 
as  to  read  as  follows: 

"Sec.  26.     At  the  time  specified  in  Section  24  of  this  chapter 

the  house  of  representatives  shall  be  called  to  order  by  the 

senior  member  hi  continuous  service  present  from  Newport, 

te°obse^edin     and  if  there  be  two  or  more  members  from  Newport  of  equal 

hou^oTfeprt    seniority  of  service,  then  by  that  one  of  them  who  shall  be  senior 

sentatives. 

m  age,  and,  if  there  is  no  member  present  from  Newport,  by 
the  senior  member  of  said  house  in  continuous  service  present, 
and,  if  there  be  two  or  more  members  of  equal  seniority  of  service, 
then  by  that  one  of  them  who  shall  be  senior  in  age.  The 
roll  of  members  as  appears  by  said  list  of  representatives  shall 
then  be  called  by  the  reading  clerk,  and  said  list  shall  be  corrected 
Speaker,  how  by  the  reading  clerk,  as  hereinbefore  provided.  If  it  shall 

chosen. 

appear  that  fifty-one  of  the  members  whose  names  are  upon  said 
list  are  present,  but  not  otherwise,  the  member  calling  the 
house  of  representatives  to  order  as  hereinbefore  provided 
shall  call  for  nominations  for  the  office  of  speaker,  and  shall 
receive  the  ballots  of  the  members  whose  names  are  on  said 
list  for  that  office,  and  after  said  ballots  have  been  counted  by 
him  and  by  the  clerks  of  said  house,  he  shall  declare  the  result 
and  the  balloting  shall  continue  until  some  person  shall  receive 
a  majority  of  all  the  ballots  cast,  and  the  person  receiving  such 
majority  shall  be  the  speaker  of  said  house  for  the  ensuing  term 
of  two  years.  The  members  so  calling  said  house  to  order  shall 
Penalty  for  not  receive,  entertain,  or  put  to  vote,  any  motion  or  question 

violating  pro- 

^t?on°ftbis     whatever,  or  point  of  order,  while  acting  as  presiding  officer, 
and  any  such  member  violating  any  of  the  foregoing  provisions 


ELECTlCfN   LAWS.  37 

of  this  section,  or  allowing  any  person  whose  name  is  not  upon 
said  list  to  participate  in  the  organization  of  said  house  or  to 
cast  any  ballot  for  speaker,  or  who  shall  allow  to  be  used  in 
the  organization  of  said  house  any  list  of  members  not  prepared 
and  corrected  as  provided  in  this  chapter,  shall  be  imprisoned 
not  less  than  one  year  nor  more  than  three  years;  and  any  clerk 
or  other  person  who  shall  use  any  such  list  in  the  organization 
of  such  house,  or  who  shall  fraudulently  alter,  secrete  or  destroy 
any  list  of  members,  prepared,  or  prepared  and  corrected,  as 
hereinbefore  provided,  shall  be  punished  by  like  imprisonment. 
Immediately  upon  the  election  of  a  speaker,  the  house  of  cierkstobe 

elected  by 

representatives  shall  proceed  to  elect  by  ballot  a  reading  clerk  house,  and  sen- 
ate notified  of 

and  a  recording  clerk,  and  upon  the  election  of  a  speaker  and  °rKanization- 
clerks  as  herein  provided,  said  house  shall  be  deemed  to  be 
organized  and  shall  forthwith  notify  the  senate  that  it  is  duly 
organized  and  ready  to  proceed  with  the  business  of  the  session. 
Said  clerks  shall  hold  office  for  two  years,  and  until  their  suc- 
cessors are  elected  and  qualified." 

SEC.  6.  Chapter  25  of  the  General  Laws,  as  amended  by 
Section  34  of  Chapter  640  of  the  Public  Laws,  passed  at  the 
August  session,  A.  D.  1910,  is  hereby  further  amended  by  adding 
thereto  the  following  sections  to  be  numbered  Sections  35  and 
36. 

"Sec.  35.     On  the  first  Tuesday  in  January,  A.  D.  1915,  President  pro 

tempore  to  be 

and  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  January,  biennially,  thereafter,  a  elected  bien- 

nially  by  the 

president  pro  tempore  of  the  senate  shall  be  elected  for  a  term  of  senate- 
two  years." 

"Sec.  36.     In  the  month  of  January,  A.  D.  1915,  and  in  the  Committees  of 

house  and  sen- 

month  of  January,  biennially,  thereafter,  the  senate  shall  elect   hiennianyh°sen 
its  committees  or  provide  by  rule  for  their  appointment,  and 
the  house  or  representatives  shall  elect  its  committees  or  provide 
by  rule  for  their  appointment." 

SEC.  7.  This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and  all 
acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 


38  ELECTION  LAWS. 


CHAPTER  1060. 

Approved  AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  SECTION  18  OF  CHAPTER  7  OF 

THE  GENERAL  LAWS,  ENTITLED  "OF  THE  REGISTERING, 
LISTING  AND  RETURNING  LISTS  OF  VOTERS  AND  OF  PROOF 
OF  THEIR  QUALIFICATION  TO  VOTE,"  AS  AMENDED  BY 
SECTION  1  OF  CHAPTER  640  OF  THE  PUBLIC  LAWS,  PASSED 
AT  THE  AUGUST  SESSION,  A.  D.  1910. 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.     Section  18  of  Chapter  7  of  the  General  Laws, 

as  amended  by  Section  1  of  Chapter  640  of  the  Public  Laws, 

passed  at  the  August  session,  A.  D.  1910,  is  hereby  amended  so 

as  to  read  as  follows : 

Assessors  of  "Sec.  18.     In  the  city  of  Providence,  the  assessors  of  taxes 

Providence  to 

deliver  to  board  shall  annually,  on  or  before  the  fifteenth  day  of  September. 

of  canvassers, 

oUax  a^eCs°?y  certify  and  deliver  to  the  board  of  canvassers  and  registration 
of  said  city  a  copy  of  the  tax  assessment  of  said  city,  which  copy 
shall  in  addition  specify  the  residence  by  street  and  number  of 
each  person  resident  in  said  city  by  them  assessed,  or  the  street 
location  of  the  land  assessed,  in  case  the  residence  of  the  owner 
cannot  be  ascertained." 

SEC.  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and  all 
acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed . 


CHAPTER  1113. 

Approved  AN  ACT  TRANSFERRING  THE  DUTIES  AND  POWERS  OF  THE 

CITY  CLERK  OF  THE  CITY  OF  PROVIDENCE  RELATIVE  TO 
CAUCUSES  AND  ELECTIONS  TO  THE  BOARD  OF  CANVASSERS 
AND  REGISTRATION  OF  SAID  CITY. 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.     All  the  duties  and  powers  imposed  and  conferred 
upon  the  city  clerk  of  the  city  of  Providence  by  general  or  special 


ELECTION  LAWS.  39 

law  relative  to  the  issuance  of  warrants;  the  calling  of  ward.   Duties  of  city 

'     clerk  of  Prpvi- 

representative-district,   and    voting-district    meetings  for  the  eiectfonesattraens- 
election  of  officers  and  giving  notice  thereof  by  advertisement   oTclnvassere1 

and  registra- 

and  posting  the  same;  the  receipt  of  certificates  of  nomination  tion  of  said  city, 
and  nomination-papers  and  requests  for  the  withdrawal  of 
the  names  of  any  candidates,  and  nominations  in  substitution 
of  candidates  so  withdrawing;  the  preparation  and  printing 
of  ballots  and  the  distribution  of  the  same;  the  certification 
to  the  secretary  of  state  of  the  number  of  voters  then  qualified 
to  vote  in  each  voting-district ;  the  preparation  and  distribution 
of  specimen  ballots  and  instruction  sheets  and  the  posting  of 
the  same;  the  furnishing  of  any  supplies  necessary  for  use 
at  any  caucus  or  election;  the  receipt  and  delivery  of  ballots, 
together  with  the  specimen  ballots  and  instruction  sheets 
prepared  and  sent  by  the  secretary  of  state;  the  delivery  to 
the  warden  or  moderator  of  each  voting  place  of  the  ballots 
prepared,  sealed  and  marked  for  each  such  voting-place  and  the 
receipt  therefor  of  such  delivery  from  the  warden  or  moderator 
present;  the  receipt  of  the  record  book  of  the  election  officers; 
the  issuance  of  certificates  of  election  to  officers  elected;  the 
preparation  of  ballots  in  the  case  of  adjourned  or  secondary 
elections;  the  ordering  of  new  elections  to  fill  vacancies  in  the 
office  of  senator  or  representative  in  the  general  assembly,  or 
in  the  case  of  a  new  election  for  a  representative  hi  congress; 
and  any  and  all  other  his  duties  and  powers  relative  to  caucuses, 
the  preparation  of  ballots  and  elections  in  said  city  of  Provi- 
dence, are  hereby  transferred  to  and  imposed  and  conferred 
upon  the  board  of  canvassers  and  registration  of  said  city  of 
Providence.  Said  board  of  canvassers  and  registration  shall 
perform  and  execute  all  such  duties  and  powers  according  to 
law  and  shall  each  be  liable  for  any  and  all  penalties  imposed 
by  law  for  any  failure  so  to  do. 

SEC.  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage. 


40  ELECTION   LAWS. 


CHAPTER  1121. 

Approved  AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  SECTIONS  1,  2,  5  AND  9  OF  CHAP- 

TER 475  OF  THE  PUBLIC  LAWS,  PASSED  AT  THE  JANUARY 
SESSION,  A.  D.  1909,  ENTITLED  "AN  ACT  IN  RELATION  TO 
THE  HOLDING  OF  CAUCUSES  IN  THE  TOWN  OF  BRISTOL." 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows. 

SECTION  1.  Section  1  of  Chapter  475  of  the  Public  Laws 
passed  at  the  January  session,  A.  D.  1909,  is  hereby  amended 
so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

"Section  1.     In  the  town  of  Bristol,  the  caucuses  of  all 

political  parties  shall  be  held  in  accordance  with  the  provisions 

of  this  act,  and  such  provisions  shall  apply  only  in  said  town. 

Political  party     For  the  purpose  of  this  act,  a  political  party  is  hereby  defined  to 

defined. 

be  one  which  at  the  next  preceding  election  of  state  officers 
cast  for  its  candidate  for  governor  at  least  two  per  cent,  of  all 
the  votes  cast  hi  the  state  for  that  officer.     Caucus  and  con- 
vention nominations  shall  be  made  only  by  political  parties." 
SEC.  2.     Section  2  of   Chapter  475  of  the   Public   Laws, 
passed  at  the  January  session,  A.  D.  1909,  is  hereby  amended 
so  as  to  read  as  follows: 
Method  of  "Sec.  2.     The  qualified  electors  of  each  political  party  in 

electing  town  r        J 

powe^and  and  said  town  shall  biennially,  at  the  caucus  held  to  elect  delegates 
to  the  convention  to  nominate  a  candidate  for  governor,  elect 
a  town  committee  for  such  town.  Each  town  committee  shall, 
within  ten  days  after  its  organization,  file  with  the  secretary 
of  state  a  list  of  its  officers  and  members.  The  general  manage- 
ment of  the  affairs  of  each  political  party  in  such  town  shall 
be  vested  in  its  town  committee,  subject  to  the  rules  and  regula- 
tion which  the  state  committee  of  such  political  party  shall 
make.  Any  vacancy  occurring  in  any  of  the  offices  or  in  the 
membership  of  said  town  committee  shall  be  filled  by  such 


ELECTION   LAWS.  41 

committee.  A  statement  thereof  shall  be  filed  as  in  the  case 
of  officers  and  members  first  chosen.  Town  committees  shall 
hold  office  from  the  date  of  their  election  until  the  next  biennial 
election  of  such  committees  and  thereafter  until  their  successors 
have  organized.  Town  committees  may  make  regulations,  not 
inconsistent  with  law,  to  determine  membership  in  the  party 
and  to  restrain  those  not  entitled  to  vote  at  caucuses  called  by 
them  from  taking  part  therein,  and  such  regulations  shall  be 
furnished  to  and  shall  govern  the  officers  by  this  act  charged  with 
the  duty  of  preparing  caucus  voting  lists  in  the  preparation  of 
such  lists,  so  far  as  they  are  not  in  conflict  with  the  provisions 
of  this  chapter.  Each  town  committee  shall  attend  the  caucuses 
of  the  party  to  which  it  belongs,  to  perform  the  duties  herein 
imposed  upon  it. " 

SEC.  3.  Section  5  of  Chapter  475  of  the  Public  Laws,  passed 
at  the  January  session,  A.  D.  1909,  is  hereby  amended  so  as  to 
read  as  follows: 

"Sec.  5.  No  caucus,  except, a  caucus  adjourned  under  the  caucuses,  when 
provisions  of  Section  14  of  this  act,  shall  be  held  within  two  days, 
exclusive  of  Sundays  and  legal  holidays,  of  the  last  day  for  filing 
the  certificate  of  the  nominations  of  such  caucus,  nor  shall  any 
political  party  hold  caucuses  on  successive  days.  All  caucuses 
held  to  elect  delegates  to  the  convention  to  nominate  a  candidate 
for  governor  and  to  nominate  candidates  for  the  general  assembly 
from  said  town,  excepting  those  caucuses  necessary  for  a  special 
election,  shall  be  held  after  the  second  Thursday  next  after  the 
first  Monday  in  September,  biennially.  All  caucuses  held  to 
nominate  candidates  for  town  officers  in  said  town,  excepting 
those  caucuses  necessary  for  a  special  election,  shall  be  held 
within  twenty-five  days  of  the  second  Wednesday  in  March  in 
each  year.  Caucuses  necessary  for  a  special  election  shall  be 
held  not  more  than  ten  days  before  nor  within  two  days, 
exclusive  of  Sundays  and  legal  holidays,  of  the  last  day  for  filing 
the  certificates  of  the  nominations  qf  such  caucuses." 


42  ELECTION   LAWS. 

SEC.  4.  Section  9  of  Chapter  475  of  the  Public  Laws, 
passed  at  the  January  session,  A.  D.  1909,  is  hereby  amended 
so  as  to  read  as  follows: 

voting  lists,  "Sec.  9.     The  town  clerk  of  said  town  shall  prepare  the 

canvassing  of.  voting  lists  for  use  at  all  caucuses  held  in  said  town,  At  all 
caucuses  the  voting  lists  as  last  published  or  canvassed  accord- 
ing to  law  by  the  board  of  canvassers  of  said  town  shall  be  used, 
corrected  as  hereinafter  provided.  The  board  of  canvassers 
in  said  town  shall  hold  a  canvass  meeting  on  the  twenty-seventh 
day  preceding  the  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in 
November  in  each  year  in  which  an  election  of  state  officers 
is  held  and  on  the  twenty-seventh  day  preceding  the  second 
Wednesday  in  March  in  each  year,  and  also  on  a  day  not  more 
than  five  days  prior  to  the  earliest  day  lawfully  selected  by 
any  political  party  for  the  holding  of  caucuses  made  necessary 
by  a  special  election  in  such  town,  to  canvass  and  correct  the 
voting  lists  of  electors  qualified.  Notice  of  said  canvass 
meetings  shall  be  given  in  such  manner  as  such  board  of  canvas- 
sers shall  respectively  prescribe. " 

SEC.  5.  This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and  all 
acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 


CHAPTER  1132. 
Approved  AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  SECTIONS  1,  2  AND  5  OF  CHAP- 

April  28,  1914. 

TER  746  OF  THE  PUBLIC  LAWS,  PASSED  AT  THE  JANUARY 
SESSION,  A.  D.  1911,  ENTITLED  "AN  ACT  IN  RELATION 
TO  THE  HOLDING  OF  CAUCUSES  IN  THE  TOWN  OF  EAST 
PROVIDENCE." 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.  Section  1  of  Chapter  746  of  the  Public  Laws, 
passed  at  the  January  session,  A.  D,  1911,  is  hereby  amended 
so  as  to  read  as  follows; 


ELECTION   LAWS.  43 

"Section  1.     In  the  town  of  East  Providence,  the  caucuses  Political  party 

defined. 

of  all  political  parties  shall  be  held  in  accordance  with  the 
provisions  of  this  act.  For  the  purposes  of  this  act,  a  political 
party  is  hereby  denned  to  be  one  which  at  the  next  preceding 
election  of  state  officers  cast  for  its  candidate  for  governor  at 
least  two  per  cent,  of  all  the  votes  cast  in  the  state  for  that 
officer.  Caucus  and  convention  nominations  shall  be  made  only 
by  political  parties." 

SEC.  2.  Section  2  of  Chapter  746  of  the  Public  Laws,  passed 
at  the  January  session,  A.  D.  1911,  is  hereby  amended  so  as  to 
read  as  follows: 

"Sec.  2.     The  qualified  electors  of  each  political  party  in  Method  of  elect- 
said  town  shall  biennially,  at  the  caucus  held  to  elect  delegates  ISftteeTand"1" 

.  powers  and 

to  the  convention  to  nominate  a  candidate  for  governor,  elect  duties  thereof, 
a  town  committee  for  such  town.  Each  town  committee  shall, 
within  ten  days  after  its  organization,  file  with  the  secretary 
of  state  a  list  of  its  officers  and  members.  The  general  manage- 
ment of  the  affairs  of  each  political  party  in  such  town  shall 
be  vested  in  its  town  committee,  subject  to  the  rules  and  regula- 
tions which  the  state  committee  of  such  political  party  shall 
make.  Any  vacancy  occurring  in  any  of  the  offices  or  in  the 
membership  of  said  town  committee  shall  be  filled  by  such 
committee.  A  statement  thereof  shall  be  filed  as  in  the  case 
of  officers  and  members  first  chosen.  Town  committees  shall 
hold  office  from  the  date  of  their  election  until  the  next  biennial 
election  of  such  town  committees  and  thereafter  until  their 
successors  have  organized.  Town  committees  may  make  regu- 
lations, not  inconsistent  with  law,  to  determine  membership 
in  the  party  and  to  restrain  those  not  entitled  to  vote  at  caucuses 
called  by  them  from  taking  part  therein,  and  such  regulations 
shall  be  furnished  to  and  shall  govern  the  officers  by  this  act 
charged  with  the  duty  of  preparing  caucus  voting  lists  in  the 
preparation  of  such  lists,  so  far  as  they  are  not  in  conflict  with 
the  provisions  of  this  act.  Each  town  committee  shall  attend 


44  ELECTION  LAWS. 

the  caucuses  of  the  party  to  which  it  belongs,  to  perform  the 
duties  herein  imposed  upon  it." 

SEC.  3.    Section  5  of  Chapter  746  of  the  Public  Laws,  passed 
at  the  January  session,  A.  D.  1911,  is  hereby  amended  so  as  to 
read  as  follows: 
Caucuses,  when       "Sec.  5.     No  caucus,  except  a  caucus  adjourned  under  the 

to  be  held. 

provisions  of  Section  14  of  this  act,  shall  be  held  within  two  days, 
exclusive  of  Sundays  and  legal  holidays,  of  the  last  days  for 
filing  the  certificate  of  the  nominations  of  such  caucus,  nor  shall 
any  political  party  hold  caucuses  on  successive  days.  All  cau- 
cuses, excepting  those  caucuses  necessary  for  a  special  election, 
shall  be  held  after  the  second  Thursday  next  after  the  first 
Monday  in  September.  All  caucuses  held  to  nominate  candi- 
dates for  town  officers  in  said  town,  excepting  those  caucuses 
necessary  for  a  special  election,  shall  be  held  within  twenty-five 
days  of  the  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  November 
in  each  year.  Caucuses  necessary  for  a  special  election  shall 
be  held  not  more  than  ten  days  before,  nor  within  two  days, 
exclusive  of  Sundays  and  legal  holidays,  of  the  last  day  for  filing 
the  certificates  of  the  nominations  of  such  caucuses. " 

SEC.  4.     Section  7   of   Chapter  746  of  the   Public   Laws, 
passed  at  the  January  session,  A.  D.  1911,  is  hereby  amended 
so  as  to  read  as  follows : 
Duties  of  "Sec.  7.    The  caucus  chairman  appointed  as  hereinbefore 

caucus  officers. 

provided,  shall  call  the  caucus  of  his  political  party  to  order, 
and  shall  preside  thereat.  Each  caucus  clerk  shall  check  the 
voting-list  of  the  voting-district  in  which  he  is  appointed  to 
serve.  In  case  a  caucus  chairman  is  absent  at  the  time  at  which 
the  caucus  has  been  called,  or  in  case  a  caucus  chairman  becomes 
incapacitated  during  the  holding  of  the  caucus,  the  town  com- 
mittee, or  a  majority  of  the  members  thereof  present  at  such 
caucus,  shall  appoint  a  qualified  elector  of  such  party  residing 
in  said  town  or  representative-district  as  caucus  chairman  for 
such  caucus.  If  no  member  of  the  town  committee  is  present, 


ELECTION   LAWS.  45 

the  clerk  of  the  first  voting-district  in  such  town,  or  hi  case  of 
his  absence  or  incapacity,  then  of  the  voting-district  clerks 
present  the  one  next  hi  numerical  order  of  the  districts,  shall 
call  the  meeting  to  order,  and  the  electors  present  shall  elect 
some  qualified  person  as  caucus  chairman  of  such  caucus. 
In  case  a  caucus  clerk  is  absent  at  the  time  at  which  the  caucus 
has  been  called,  or  hi  case  a  caucus  clerk  becomes  incapacitated 
from  performing  his  duties  as  such  during  the  holding  of  the 
caucus,  the  town  committee  of  said  town,  or  such  majority 
thereof,  shall  appoint  some  qualified  elector  of  the  town  or 
representative-district  as  such  caucus  clerk.  If  no  member  of 
the  town  committee  is  present,  the  caucus  chairman  shall 
appoint  some  qualified  elector  as  aforesaid  as  caucus  clerk.  All 
caucuses  shall  be  called  to  order  at  7  o'clock  P.  M.,  the  polls 
shall  be  open  at  or  before  7:30  P.  M.,  and  the  ballot  boxes  shall 
be  opened  and  the  ulterior  thereof  exposed  to  the  view  of  all 
present  by  the  chairman  before  any  ballots  are  cast.  Any 
necessary  business  not  finished  at  7.30  P.  M.,  shall  be  postponed 
until  after  the  polls  are  closed  and  the  result  of  the  balloting 
announced.  The  polls  shall  be  kept  open  until  10  P.  M.,  and 
no  longer :  Provided,  however,  that  hi  the  event  of  but  one  nomi- 
nation for  each  political  office  the  polls  shall  be  kept  open  thirty 
minutes.  Except  for  the  filling  of  vacancies  hi  the  office  of 
caucus  chairman  and  caucus  clerk,  as  hereinbefore  provided 
in  this  section,  a  ballot  shall  be  required  for  the  choice  of  all 
candidates  for  elective  offices,  for  delegates  to  conventions, 
and  for  members  of  town  committees,  to  be  elected  by  such 
caucuses.  All  ballots  shall  be  printed  or  written  on  white 
paper,  of  uniform  size,  to  be  determined  by  the  town  committee 
of  each  political  party  in  said  town,  and  no  tissue  paper  shall 
be  used  for  any  caucus  ballot.  The  names  of  all  candidates 
for  which  any  elector  shall  vote  at  any  caucus  shall  be  written 
or  printed  upon  one  ballot." 


46  ELECTION  LAWS. 

SEC.  5.     This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and  all 
acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 


CHAPTER  1133. 
Approved  AN  ACT  FIXING  THE  TIME  FOR  THE  ELECTION  OF  TOWN 

April  1,  1914. 

OFFICERS  IN  THE  TOWN  OF  JOHNSTON. 
It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 
Town  of  John-        SECTION  1.     The  electors  of  the  town  of  Johnston,  on  the 

ston,  certain 

town  officers  of,  nrst  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  November,  in  the 

when  and  how 

year  1914,  and  biennially  thereafter,  shall  by  ballot  elect  a 
moderator,  a  town  clerk,  seven  councilmen,  a  town  treasurer  and 
a  town  sergeant.  The  electors  of  said  town  at  the  annual 
election  in  the  year  1914,  and  every  four  years  thereafter,  shall 
by  ballot  elect  one  member  of  the  school  committee  for  the  term 
of  four  years.  At  the  biennial  election  in  the  year  1916,  and 
every  four  years  thereafter,  the  electors  of  said  town  shall  elect 
two  members  of  the  school  committee  for  the  term  of  four  years. 
The  electors  of  said  town  at  the  annual  election  in  1914,  and 
every  four  years  thereafter,  shall  by  ballot  elect  one  member  of 
the  board  of  tax  assessors  for  the  term  of  four  years,  and  at  the 
biennial  election  in  1916,  and  every  four  years  thereafter,  shall 
by  ballot  elect  two  members  of  the  board  of  tax  assessors  for 
the  term  of  four  years  The  electors  in  each  voting-district 
in  said  town  on  the  first  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in 
November,  in  the  year  1914,  and  biennially  thereafter,  shall  by 
ballot  elect  a  district  moderator  and  a  district  clerk  to  hold  their 
respective  offices  for  two  years.  All  the  officers  whose  election 
is  provided  for  in  this  section  shall  be  voted  for  on  one  ballot 
and  the  polls  shall  be  kept  open  from  6 :30  o'clock  in  the  forenoon 
until  7  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

In  vaclTdel1  *°       ^EC-  ^"     Upon  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  office  of  any 
when'  existing  officer  of  said  town,  who  was  elected  by  the  people  for 


ELECTION    LAWS.  47 

a  term  of  more  than  one  year,  or  of  his  successor  in  said  office 
elected  or  appointed  to  fill  such  vacancy,  the  town  council  of 
such  town  shall  elect  some  person  to  fill  such  office  until  the 
next  biennial  election  and  until  his  successor  is  elected  and 
qualified;  and  the  person  so  elected  to  such  office  shall  have  all 
the  powers  and  duties  of,  and  be  subject  to  all  the  limitations 
provided  by  law  for  like  officers  elected  by  the  people. 

SEC.  3.     The  town  council  of  said  town  shall  annually  elect  Town  council  to 

/  *  elect  certain 

all  town  officers  whose  election  is  not  provided  for  by  Section  1   officers,  when. 
of  this  act,  and  all  such  officers  so  elected  shall  have  all  the 
authority  and  be  subject  to  all  the  duties  appertaining  by  law 
to  their  several  offices. 

SEC.  4.  This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and  all 
acts  and  parts  of  acts  and  all  provisions  of  any  special  laws 
affecting  said  town  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 


CHAPTER  1135. 

AN  ACT  FIXING  THE  TIME  FOR  THE  ELECTION  OF  TOWN   Approved 
OFFICERS  IN  THE  TOWN  OF  LINCOLN. 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.     The  electors  of  the  town  of  Lincoln  on  the  first  Town  of  Lin- 
Tuesday  in  June  in  the  year  1915,  and  biennially  thereafter,   town  officers  of , 

when  and  how 

shall  by  ballot  elect  a  town  clerk,  a  town  treasurer,  and  five  elected- 
councilmen.  The  electors  of  said  town  on  the  first  Tuesday  in 
June,  in  the  year  1915,  and  every  four  years  thereafter,  shall 
by  ballot  elect  two  members  of  the  school  committee  and  one 
member  of  the  board  of  tax  assessors,  each  for  the  term  of  four 
years.  At  the  biennial  election  of  town  officers  on  the  first 
Tuesday  in  June,  in  the  year  1917,  and  every  four  years  there- 
after, the  electors  of  said  town  shall  by  ballot  elect  three  mem- 
bers of  the  school  committee  and  two  members  of  the  board  of 


48  ELECTION   LAWS. 

tax  assessors  each  for  the  term  of  four  years.  The  electors  in 
each  voting-district  in  said  town  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  June, 
in  the  year  1915,  and  biennially  in  June  thereafter,  shall  by  ballot 
elect  a  district  moderator  and  district  clerk  to  hold  their  respec- 
tive offices  for  the  term  of  two  years. 
Town  council  gEC.  2.  Upon  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  office  of  any 

to  fill  vacancies, 

existing  officer  of  said  town,  who  was  elected  by  the  people  for 
a  term  of  more  than  one  year,  or  of  his  successor  in  said  office 
elected  or  appointed  to  fill  such  vacancy,  the  town  council  of 
such  town  shall  elect  some  person  to  fill  such  office  until  the 
next  biennial  election  of  town  officers  and  until  his  successor 
is  elected  and  qualified;  and  the  person  so  elected  to  such  office 
shall  have  all  the  powers  and  duties  of,  and  be  subject  to  all  the 
limitations  provided  by  law  for  like  officers  elected  by  the  people. 
SecTcerta'in1*0  SEC-  3-  The  town  council  of  said  town  shall  annually  elect 
all  town  officers  whose  election  is  not  provided  for  by  Section  1 
of  this  act,  and  all  such  officers  so  elected  shall  have  all  the 
authority  and  be  subject  to  all  the  duties  appertaining  by  law 
to  their  several  offices. 

Jffectfve  whra  SEC.  4.  This  act  shall  take  effect  when  accepted  by  a 
electors.  *  majority  vote  of  the  electors  of  said  town  of  Lincoln  present 
•  and  voting  at  the  annual  election  for  town  officers  to  be  held 
on  the  first  Tuesday  in  June,  A.  D.  1914.  The  town  clerk  of 
said  town  of  Lincoln  shall  cause  to  be  printed  on  the  official 
ballots  used  in  the  aforesaid  election  the  question,  "Shall  the 
town  of  Lincoln  approve  and  adopt  the  act,  entitled  'An  act 
fixing  the  time  for  the  election  of  town  officers  in  the  town  of 
Lincoln, '  passed  at  the  January  session,  A.  D.  1914, "  and  at  the 
right  of  said  question  shall  be  the  usual  square  in  which  shall 
be  printed  the  word  "  Yes,"  and  under  the  word  "  Yes,"  the  word 
"No,"  and  there  shall  be  also  in  the  square  at  the  right  of  said 
words  "Yes"  and  "No,"  a  sufficient  space  in  which  the  voter 
may  indicate  his  approval  by  a  cross  (X)  mark  at  the  right  of 
the  word  "Yes,"  or  his  disapproval  by  the  same  mark  at  the 


ELECTION   LAWS.  49 

right  of  the  word  "No."  If  a  majority  of  all  the  qualified 
electors  voting  on  said  question  vote  "Yes,"  this  act  shall  be 
accepted.  The  votes  shall  be  counted  and  the  result  ascertained 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  votes  for  town  officers  are  counted  and 
the  result  ascertained. 

SEC.  5.    Section  4  of  this  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its 
passage. 


CHAPTER  1144. 

AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  SECTIONS  1,  2  AND  5  OF  CHAPTER  Approved 
891  OF  THE  PUBLIC  LAWS,  PASSED  AT  THE  JANUARY  SES-  April  28, 1914. 
SIGN,   A.   D.   1912,  ENTITLED    "AN  ACT   IN  RELATION  TO 
THE  HOLDING  OF  CAUCUSES  IN   THE  TOWN  OF  NORTH 
SM1THFIELD." 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.  Section  1  of  Chapter  891  of  the  Public  Laws, 
passed  at  the  January  session,  A.  D.  1912,  is  hereby  amended 
so  as  to  read  as  follows: 

"Section  1.  In  the  town  of  North  Smithfield  the  caucuses  Political party 
of  all  political  parties  shall  be  held  in  accordance  with  the  provis- 
ions of  this  act.  For  the  purposes  of  this  act,  a  political  party 
is  hereby  denned  to  be  one  which  at  the  next  preceding  election 
of  state  officers  cast  for  its  candidate  for  governor  at  least 
two  per  cent,  of  all  the  votes  cast  in  the  state  for  that  officer. 
Caucus  and  convention  nominations  shall  be  made  only  by 
political  parties." 

SEC.  2.  Section  2  of  Chapter  891  of  the  Public  Laws,  passed 
at  the  January  session,  A.  D.  1912,  is  hereby  amended  so  as  to 
read  as  follows: 

"Sec.  2.     The  qualified  electors  of  each  political  party  in  Method  of 

electing  town 

said  town  shall  biennially,  at  the  caucus  held  to  elect  delegates  pow^^Td  and 
to  the  convention  to  nominate  a,  candidate  for  governor,  elect 


50  ELECTION    LAWS. 


a  town  committee  for  such  town.  Each  town  committee  shall, 
within  ten  days  after  its  organization,  file  with  the  secretary  of 
state  a  list  of  its  officers  and  members.  The  general  management 
of  the  affairs  of  each  political  party  in  such  town  shall  be  vested 
in  its  town  committee,  subject  to  the  rules  and  regulations  which 
the  state  committee  of  such  political  party  shall  make.  Any 
vacancy  occurring  in  any  of  the  offices  or  in  the  membership 
of  said  town  committee  shall  be  filled  by  such  committee.  A 
statement  thereof  shall  be  filed  as  in  the  case  of  officers  and 
members  first  chosen.  Town  committees  shall  hold  office  from 
the  date  of  their  election  until  the  next  biennial  election  of 
such  committees  and  thereafter  until  their  successors  have 
organized.  Town  committees  may  make  regulations,  not  incon- 
sistent with  law,  to  determine  membership  in  the  party  and  to 
restrain  those  not  entitled  to  vote  at  caucuses  called  by  them 
from  taking  part  therein,  and  such  regulations  shall  be  furnished 
to  and  shall  govern  the  officers  by  this  act  charged  with  the 
duty  of  preparing  caucus  voting  lists  in  the  preparation  of  such 
lists,  so  far  as  they  are  not  in  conflict  with  the  provisions  of  this 
act.  Each  town  committee  shall  attend  the  caucuses  of  the 
party  to  which  it  belongs,  to  perform  the  duties  herein  imposed 
upon  it." 

SEC.  3.  Section  5  of  Chapter  891  of  the  Public  Laws,  passed 
at  the  January  session,  A.  D.  1912,  is  hereby  amended  so  as  to 
read  as  follows  : 

when  "Sec.  5.  No  caucus,  except  a  caucus  adjourned  under  the 
provisions  of  Section  14  of  this  act,  shall  be  held  within  two 
days,  exclusive  of  Sundays  and  legal  holidays,  of  the  last  day 
for  filing  the  certificate  of  the  nominations  of  such  caucus,  nor 
shall  any  political  party  hold  caucuses  on  successive  days. 
All  caucuses,  excepting  those  caucuses  necessary  for  a  special 
election,  shall  be  held  after  the  second  Thursday  next  after  the 
first  Monday  in  September.  All  caucuses  held  to  nominate 
candidates  for  town  officers  in  said  town,  excepting  those 


ELECTION  LAWS.  51 

caucuses  necessary  for  a  special  election,  shall  be  held  within 
twenty-five  days  of  the  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday 
in  November  in  each  year.  Caucuses  necessary  for  a  special 
election  shall  be  held  not  more  than  ten  days  before,  nor  within 
two  days,  exclusive  of  Sundays  and  legal  holidays,  of  the  last 
day  for  filing  the  certificates  of  the  nominations  of  such  caucuses. 
SEC.  4.  This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and  all 
acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 


CHAPTER  1149. 

AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  SECTIONS  1,  2,  5  AND  9  OF  CHAP-   Approved 
TER  762  OF  THE  PUBLIC  LAWS,  PASSED  AT  THE  JANUARY   foni  28. 1914. 


SESSION,  A.  D.  1911,  ENTITLED  "AN  ACT  IN  RELATION  TO 
THE  HOLDING  OF  CAUCUSES  IN  THE  TOWN  OF  TIVERTON." 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.  Section  1  of  Chapter  762  of  the  Public  Laws, 
passed  at  the  January  session,  A.  D.  1911,  is  hereby  amended 
so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

"Section  1.     In  the  town  of  Tiverton,  the  caucuses  of  all  Political  party, 

defined. 

political  parties  shall  be  held  in  accordance  with  the  provisions 
of  this  act.  For  the  purposes  of  this  act,  a  political  party  is 
hereby  defined  to  be  one  which  at  the  next  preceding  election 
of  state  officers  cast  for  its  candidate  for  governor  at  least  two 
per  cent .  of  all  the  votes  cast  in  the  state  for  that  officer.  Caucus 
and  convention  nominations  shall  be  made  only  by  political 
parties." 

SEC.  2.  Section  2  of  Chapter  762  of  the  Public  Laws,  passed 
at  the  January  session,  A.  D.  1911,  is  hereby  amended  so  as  to 
read  as  follows: 

"Sec.  2.     The  qualified  electors  of  each  political  party    in   Method  of 

electing  town 

said  town  shall  biennially,  at  the  caucus  held  to  elect  delegates  committee, 

and  powers  and 

to  the  convention  to  nominate  a  candidate  for  governor,  elect  duties  thereof- 


52  ELECTION   LAWS. 

a  town  committee  for  such  town.  Each  town  committee  shall, 
within  ten  days  after  its  organization,  file  with  the  secretary 
of  state  a  list  of  its  officers  and  members.  The  general  manage- 
ment of  the  affairs  of  each  political  party  in  such  town  shall 
be  vested  in  its  town  committee,  subject  to  the  rules  and  regu- 
lations which  the  state  committee  of  such  political  party  shall 

Vacancies.  make.  Any  vacancy  occurring  in  any  of  the  offices  or  in  the 
membership  of  said  town  committee  shall  be  filled  by  such  com- 
mittee. A  statement  thereof  shall  be  filed  as  in  the  case  of 
officers  and  members,  first  chosen.  Town  committees  shall 
hold  office  from  the  date  of  their  election  until  the  next 
biennial  election  of  such  committees  and  thereafter  until  their 
successors  have  organized.  Town  committees  may  make 
regulations,  not  inconsistent  with  law,  to  determine  membership 
in  the  party  and  to  restrain  those  not  entitled  to  vote  at  caucuses 
called  by  them  from  taking  part  therein,  and  such  regulations 
shall  be  furnished  to  and  shall  govern  the  officers  by  this  act 
charged  with  the  duty  of  preparing  caucus  voting  lists  in  the 
preparation  of  such  lists,  so  far  as  they  are  not  in  conflict  with 
the  provisions  of  this  act.  Each  town  committee  shall  attend 
the  caucuses  of  the  party  to  which  it  belongs,  to  perform  the 
duties  herein  imposed  upon  it." 

SEC.  3  Section  5  of  Chapter  762  of  the  Public  Laws,  passed 
at  the  January  session,  A.  D.  1911,  is  hereby  amended  so  as  to 
read  as  follows: 

whenUtobe  "Sec.  5.     No  caucus,  except  a  caucus  adjourned  under  the 

provisions  of  Section  14  of  this  act,  shall  be  held  within  two  days, 
exclusive  of  Sundays  and  legal  holidays,  of  the  last  day  for  filing 
the  certificate  of  the  nominations  of  such  caucus,  nor  shall  any 
political  party  hold  caucuses  on  successive  days.  All  caucuses 
held  to  elect  delegates  to  the  convention  to  nominate  a  candi- 
date for  governor,  and  to  nominate  candidates  for  the 
general  assembly  from  said  town,  excepting  those  caucuses 
necessary  for  a  special  election,  shall  be  held  after  the 


ELECTION   LAWS.  53 

second  Thursday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  September, 
biennially.  All  caucuses  held  to  nominate  candidates 
for  town  officers  in  said  town,  excepting  those  caucuses 
necessary  for  a  special  election,  shall  be  held  within  twenty-five 
days  of  the  first  Wednesday  in  April  hi  each  year.  Caucuses 
necessary  for  a  special  election  shall  be  held  not  more  than  ten 
days  before,  nor  within  two  days,  exclusive  of  Sundays  and  legal 
holidays,  of  the  last  day  for  filing  the  certificates  of  the  nomina- 
tions of  such  caucuses. " 

SEC.  4.  Section  9  of  Chapter  762  of  the  Public  Laws, 
passed  at  the  January  session,  A.  D.  1911,  is  hereby  amended 
so  as  to  read  as  follows : 

"  Sec.  9.     The  town  clerk  of  said  town  shall  prepare  the  voting  preparing  and 

,.    ,       .  i     i  i    •  •  i   j  11  canvassing 

lists  for  use  at  all  caucuses  held  m  said  town.  At  all  caucuses  voting  lists. 
the  voting  lists  as  last  published  or  canvassed  according  to 
law  by  the  boards  of  canvassers  of  said  town  shall  be  used, 
corrected  as  hereinafter  provided.  The  board  of  canvassers 
in  said  town  shall  hold  a  canvass  meeting  on  the  twenty-seventh 
day  preceding  the  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  No- 
vember in  each  year  hi  which  an  election  of  state  officers  is  held 
and  on  the  twenty-seventh  day  preceding  the  first  Wednesday 
in  April  in  each  year,  and  also  on  a  day  not  more  than  five 
days  prior  to  the  earliest  day  lawfully  selected  by  any  political 
party  for  the  holding  of  caucuses  made  necessary  by  a  special 
election  in  such  town,  to  canvass  and  correct  the  voting  lists 
of  electors  qualified.  Notice  of  said  canvass  meetings  shall 
be  given  in  such  manner  as  such  boards  of  canvassers  shall 
respectively  prescribe." 

SEC.  5.  This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage,  and  all 
acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 


54 


ELECTION   LAWS. 


Approved 
May  4,  1914. 


Town  officers  in 
town  of  War- 


Town  officers 
elected  by 
town  council. 


Certain  town 

officers  con- 

timied  in  office. 


CHAPTER  1152. 

AN  ACT  FIXING  THE   TIME  FOR  THE  ELECTION  OF  TOWN 
OFFICERS  IN  THE  TOWN  OF  WARWICK. 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.  The  electors  of  the  town  of  Warwick  on  the 
Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  November,  in  the  year 
1914,  and  biennially  thereafter,  shall  in  district  meetings  as 
now  provided  by  law,  by  ballot  elect  five  district  moderators, 
five  district  clerks,  a  town  clerk,  a  council  of  five  members,  a 
town  treasurer,  a  town  sergeant  and  an  overseer  of  the  poor, 
each  to  serve  for  two  years,  and  until  their  successors  are  elected 
and  qualified.  The  electors  of  said  town  at  the  annual  election 
in  the  year  1914,  and  quadrennially  thereafter,  shall  by  ballot 
elect  a  member  of  the  school  committee,  a  member  of  the  board 
of  tax  assessors,  and  a  member  of  the  board  of  police  commis- 
sioners, each  for  the  term  of  four  years,  and  until  their  successors 
are  elected  and  qualified ;  and  at  the  biennial  election  in  the  year 
1916,  and  quadrennially  thereafter,  shall  in  like  manner,  elect 
two  members  of  the  school  committee,  two  members  of  the  board 
of  tax  assessors  and  two  members  of  the  board  of  police  commis- 
sioners, each  for  a  term  of  four  years,  and  until  their  successors 
are  elected  and  qualified.  All  officers  whose  election  is  provided 
for  in  this  section  shall  be  voted  for  on  one  ballot. 

SEC.  2.  The  town  council  of  said  town  at  its  first  meeting 
held  after  election,  shall  for  a  term'of  two  years  elect  town  officers 
whose  election  is  not  provided  for  by  Section  1  of  this  act,  and 
all  said  officers  so  elected  shall  have  all  the  authority  and  be 
subject  to  all  the  duties  appertaining  by  law  to  their  several 
offices. 

SEC.  3.  The  members  of  the  school  committee,  the  members 
of  the  board  of  tax  assessors,  and  the  member  of  the  board  of 
police  commissioners  elected  by  the  people  in  the  year  1913  for  the 


ELECTION    LAWS.  55 

term  of  two  years,  or  their  successors  in  office,  are  hereby 
continued  in  office  until  the  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday 
hi  November,  A.  D.  1916,  and  thereafter  until  their  successors 
are  elected  and  qualified,  with  all  the  powers  and  duties  and  sub- 
ject to  all  the  limitations  and  liabilities  provided  by  law  for  like 
officers  elected  by  the  people,  and  shall  receive  a  pro  rata 
compensation  for  their  increased  term  of  service,  based  upon 
their  compensation  provided  by  law.  All  other  officers  of  said 
town  who  were  elected  by  the  people  in  the  year  1913  and  not 
otherwise  provided  for  in  this  act,  shall  hold  office  during  the 
respective  terms  for  which  they  were  elected  and  thereafter  until 
their  successors  are  elected  and  qualified. 

SEC.  4.  All  provisions  of  any  special  laws  in  relation  to  said 
town  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby  repealed,  and  this  act 
shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage. 


CHAPTER  1154. 

AN  ACT  IN  AMENDMENT  OF  CHAPTER  1109  OF  THE  PUBLIC   Approved 
LAWS,  ENTITLED  "AN  ACT   IN   RELATION  TO  THE  ELEC-   M^.4-  1914-_ 
TION     OF    TOWN    OFFICERS    IN     THE     TOWN    OF    WEST 
GREENWICH,"  PASSED   AT    THE   JANUARY  SESSION,  A.  D. 
1892,  AS    AMENDED    BY    CHAPTER    1394    OF  THE    PUBLIC 
LAWS,  PASSED  AT  THE  JANUARY  SESSION,  A.  D.  1906. 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.  Chapter  1109  of  the  Public  Laws,  passed  at  the 
January  session,  A.  D.  1892,  entitled  "An  act  in  relation  to  the 
election  of  town  officers  in  the  town  of  West  Greenwich,"  as 
amended  by  Chapter  1394  of  the  Public  Laws,  passed  at  the 
January  session,  A.  D.  1906,  is  hereby  amended  so  as  to  read  as 
follows : 


56  ELECTION   LAWS. 

Town  election         "Section  1.     The  electors  of  the  town  of  West  Greenwich 

m  West  Green- 


wich, when  on  ^g  grgj.  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  November, 
in  the  year  1914,  and  biennially  thereafter,  shall  by  ballot,  elect 
a  moderator,  a  town  clerk,  a  town  treasurer,  a  town  sergeant, 
five  councilmen,  three  justices  of  the  peace,  three  assessors  of 
taxes,  and  an  overseer  of  the  poor.  The  electors  of  said  town 
on  the  first  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  November, 
in  the  year  1914,  shall  by  ballot  elect  one  member  of  the  school 
committee  for  the  term  of  four  years,  and  at  the  biennial  election 
in  the  year  1916,  shall  in  like  manner  elect  two  members  of  the 
school  committee  for  a  term  of  four  years,  and  thereafter  hi  like 
manner  and  for  like  terms  in  each  succeeding  biennial  election 
as  their  respective  terms  shall  expire.  All  officers  whose  election 
is  provided  for  in  this  section  shall  be  voted  for  on  one  ballot, 

Polls  open.  and  the  polls  shall  be  kept  open  from  ten  o'clock  in  the  forenoon 
until  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

to°elect0c'ertain  "Sec.  2.  The  town  council  of  said  town  at  its  first  meeting 
ers,  when.  ^^  a£^er  y.g  eiectiOn  or  at  any  time  to  which  said  meeting  shall 
be  adjourned,  shall  elect  town  officers  whose  election  is  not  pro- 
vided for  by  Section  1  of  this  act,  and  all  town  officers  who  for 
any  reason  fail  to  be  elected  at  said  town  meeting,  and  all  such 
officers  so  elected  shall  have  all  the  authority  and  be  subject 
to  all  the  duties  appertaining  by  law  to  their  several  offices. 

dutiS  conferred       "Sec-  3-     The  powers  and  duties  conferred  by  Chapter  49 

GeiSraiPLaws0'    of  the  General  Laws,  upon  towns  which  hold  elections  for  town 

town  of  west      officers  on  the  first  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  No- 
Greenwich. 

vember,  annually,  are  hereby  conferred  upon  the  town  of  West 
Greenwich  for  the  biennial  elections  herein  provided  for,  and 
the  town  council  may  elect  an  assistant  moderator  to  act  until 
the  electors  shall  elect  a  person  to  fill  such  office. 

c^nti^ued^rT8  "Sec.  4.  The  officers  of  said  town  who  were  elected  by  the 
people  in  the  year  1913  for  the  term  of  one  year,  or  their  succes- 
sors hi  office,  are  hereby  continued  in  office  until  the,  first 
Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  November,  A.  D.  1914; 


ELECTION   LAWS.  57 

and  the  member  of  the  school  committee  who  was  elected 
by  the  people  in  the  year  1911  for  the  term  of  three  years  is 
hereby  continued  in  office  until  the  first  Tuesday  next  after  the 
first  Monday  in  November,  A.  D.  1914,  and  thereafter  until  his 
successor  is  elected  and  qualified ;  and  the  member  of  the  school 
committee  who  was  elected  by  the  people  in  the  year  1912  for 
the  term  of  three  years  is  hereby  continued  in  office  until  the 
first  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  November,  A.  D. 
1916,  and  thereafter  until  his  successor  is  elected  and  qualified; 
and  the  member  of  the  school  committee  who  was  elected  by 
the  people  in  the  year  1913  for  the  term  of  three  years  is  hereby 
continued  in  office  until  the  first  Tuesday  next  after  the  first 
Monday  in  November,  A.  D.  1916,  and  thereafter  until  his 
successor  is  elected  and  qualified." 

SEC.  2.  This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  and  after  its  passage, 
and  all  acts  and  parts  of  acts  inconsistent  herewith  are  hereby 
repealed. 


CHAPTER  1156. 

AN  ACT  IN  RELATION  TO  THE  HOLDING  OF  CAUCUSES  IN   Approved 

THE  TOWN  OF  WEST  WARWICK.  May  6' 1914' 

It  is  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  as  follows: 

SECTION  1.     In  the  town  of  West  Warwick  the  caucuses  political  party 

defined. 

of  all  political  parties  shall  be  held  in  accordance  with  the 
provisions  of  this  act.  For  the  purposes  of  this  act,  a  political 
party  is  hereby  defined  to  be  one  which  at  the  next  preceding 
election  of  state  officers  cast  for  its  candidate  for  governor  at 
least  two  per  cent  of  all  the  votes  cast  in  the  state  for  that  officer. 
Caucus  and  convention  nominations  shall  be  made  only  by 
political  parties. 

SEC.  2.     The  qualified  electors  of  each  political  party  hi  District  com- 
mittee, how 

each  representative-district  of  said  town  shall,  annually,  at  elected- 


58 


ELECTION   LAWS. 


Town  com- 
mittee, how 
constituted. 


Powers  and 
duties  of. 


Vacancies. 


Committees, 
term  of  office  of 
members  of. 


Further  powers 
and  duties  of 
committees. 


the  caucus  held  in  each  representative-district  of  said  town  to 
elect  delegates  to  a  convention  to  nominate  a  town  council  and 
other  town  officers,  elect  a  district  committee  for  each  represen- 
tative-district of  said  town. 

The  members  of  the  several  district  committees  of  the  same 
political  party  shall  constitute  the  town  committee  of  such 
political  party  for  that  town.  Each  town  committee  shall 
within  ten  days  after  its  organization  file  with  the  secretary  of 
state  a  list  of  its  officers  and  members.  They  shall  also  file  a 
like  list  with  the  town  clerk  of  said  town. 

The  general  management  of  the  affairs  of  each  political  party 
in  said  town  shall  be  vested  in  its  town  committee,  subject  to 
the  rules  and  regulations  which  the  state  committee  of  such 
political  party  shall  make.  Any  vacancies  occurring  in  any  of 
the  offices  or  in  the  membership  of  said  town  committtee 
shall  be  filled  by  such  committee,  and  any  vacancy  occurring 
in  the  membership  of  a  district  committee  shall  be  filled  by  the 
remaining  members  of  such  district  committee.  A  statement 
of  such  action  of  any  committee  thereof  shall  be  filed  as  in  the 
case  of  officers  and  members  first  chosen.  District  and  town 
committees  shall  hold  office  from  the  date  of  their  election  until 
the  next  annual  election  of  such  committees  and  thereafter 
until  their  successors  shall  have  organized.  Town  committees 
may  make  regulations,  not  inconsistent  with  law,  to  determine 
membership  in  the  party  and  to  restrain  those  not  entitled  to 
vote  at  caucuses  called  by  them  from  taking  part  therein,  and 
such  regulations  shall  be  furnished  to  and  shall  govern  the  officers 
by  this  act  charged  with  the  duty  of  preparing  caucus  voting 
lists  in  the  preparation  of  such  lists  so  far  as  they  are  not  incon- 
sistent with  the  provisions  of  this  act.  Each  district  committee 
shall  attend  the  caucuses  of  the  party  to  which  it  belongs 
held  in  the  district  from  which  it  was  elected  to  perform  the 
duties  herein  imposed  upon  it, 


ELECTION  LAWS.  59 

SEC.  3.    All  caucuses  shall  be  held  in  said  town  at  the  call  of  Caucuses,  how 

called. 

the  town  committee  of  the  political  party  holding  such  caucuses. 
The  call  for  such  caucuses  shall  be  issued  not  less  than  five  days 
prior  to  the  day  on  which  they  are  to  be  held.  It  shall  state  the 
places  where  such  caucuses  are  to  be  held,  the  hour  of  holding 
the  same,  the  time  during  which  the  polls  are  to  be  open,  the 
business  to  be  transacted  thereat  and  the  uniform  size  of  the 
ballots  to  be  used  at  said  caucus  and  copies  of  said  call  shall  be 
posted  at  least  four  days  prior  to  the  holding  of  said  caucus  in 
six  or  more  public  places  in  said  town.  No  two  political  parties 
shall  hold  their  caucuses  on  the  same  day. 

SEC.  4.     At  least  ten  days  previous  to  the  date  on  which  a  Town  clerk  to 
political  party  desires  to  hold  its  caucus  in  said  town  the  chair-  datTof  caucus 

and  to  furnish 

man  of  the  town  committee  of  such  political  party  shall  notify  polling  places 

therefor. 

in  writing,  the  town  clerk  of  the  date  selected  for  such  caucus,  by 
said  committee  and  the  political  party  first  making  such  selec- 
tion and  notification  for  a  certain  date  shall  be  entitled  to  hold 
its  caucus  on  that  date,  if  such  date  is  one  on  which  caucuses 
may  lawfully  be  held.  If  such  date  be  one  previously  so  selected 
and  notified  by  some  other  political  party,  or  is  one  on  which  a 
caucus  may  not  lawfully  be  held,  such  chairman  shall  be 
immediately  notified  in  writing,  of  the  fact  by  the  town  clerk,  and 
such  chairman  shall  select  and  make  notification  of  another 
date.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  town  clerk,  in  and  at  the 
expense  of  said  town  to  provide  polling  places  as  are  necessary  in 
said  town  for  said  caucuses,  and  to  notify  in  writing  such  chair- 
man as  to  the  place  so  provided  at  least  seven  days  prior  to 
the  date  of  such  caucuses. 

SEC.  5.  No  caucus,  except  a  caucus  adjourned  under  the  CaucuseS]  when 
provisions  of  Section  16  of  this  act,  shall  be  held  within  two  days, 
exclusive  of  Sundays  and  legal  holidays,  of  the  last  day  for  filing 
the  certificate  of  nominations  of  such  caucus,  nor  shall  any 
political  party  hold  caucuses  on  successive  days.  All  caucuses 
excepting  those  caucuses  necessary  for  a  special  election,  shall 


60  ELECTION   LAWS. 

be  held  after  the  second  Thursday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in 
September  in  each  year.  All  caucuses  held  to  nominate  candi- 
dates for  town  officers  in  said  town,  excepting  those  caucuses 
necessary  for  a  special  election,  shall  be  held  within  twenty-five 
days  of  the  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  November 
in  each  year.  Caucuses  necessary  for  a  special  election  shall 
be  held  not  more  than  ten  days  before,  nor  within  two  days, 
exclusive,  of  Sundays  and  legal  holidays,  of  the  last  day  for 
filing  the  certificates  of  the  nominations  of  such  caucuses. 
Caucus  officers  SEC.  6.  The  town  committee  of  each  political  party  in  said 

to  be  selected  by 

town  commit-     town  shall,  at  least  two  days  prior  to  holding  the  first  caucus 

tCC. 

next  after  the  first  Monday  in  September,  appoint  a  caucus 
moderator  and  a  caucus  clerk  for  each  representative-district, 
who  shall  be  qualified  electors  of  such  district  and  members  of 
such  political  party:  Provided,  however,  that  the  moderator 
and  clerk  of  the  representative-district  shall  perform  the  duties 
of  caucus  moderator  and  clerk  at  the  caucuses  of  their  own 
political  party. 

Each  committee  making  such  appointment  shall  file  with  the 
town  clerk  at  least  one  day  previous  to  the  date  selected  by  its 
party  for  holding  any  caucus,  the  names  of  the  persons  appointed 
by  them  caucus  officers  as  aforesaid;  and  all  caucus  officers  so 
appointed  shall  hold  office  until  the  first  day  in  January  next 
succeeding  their  appointment  and  thereafter  until  their  succes- 
sors are  appointed  and  shall  have  the  same  powers  and  duties, 
in  the  conduct  of  caucuses  as  are  conferred  and  imposed  by 
law  upon  similar  officers  of  elective  meetings. 

Town  com-  In  case  of  a  change  of  the  lines  of  a  representative-district,  or 

revoke  such        of  a  redivision  of  any  representative-district  thereof  into  voting 

appointments, 

when.  districts,  the  town  committee  of  each  political  party  thereof 

may  revoke  such  appointments  by  them  respectively  made  in 
the  case  of  all  caucus  moderators  and  clerks  who  by  reason  of 
such  change  or  redivision  become  ineligible  to  serve  on  account 
of  residence  and  appoint  others  in  their  stead,  and  the  town  com. 


ELECTION   LAWS.  61 

mittee  of  each  political  party  shall  appoint  a  caucus  moderator, 
and  in  each  new  representative-district  or  voting-district  so 
created,  if  necessary,  the  town  committee  of  each  political  party 
shall  appoint  a  caucus  moderator  and  clerk. 

SEC.  7.  The  caucus  moderator  appointed  or  acting  as  herein-  Dutie8of 
before  provided,  shall  call  the  caucus  of  his  political  party  to 
order,  and  shall  preside  thereat.  Each  caucus  clerk  shall  check 
the  voting  list  of  the  district  in  which  he  serves  In  case  a  cau- 
cus moderator  is  absent  at  the  time  at  which  the  caucus  has  been 
called,  or  in  case  a  caucus  moderator  becomes  incapacitated 
during  the  holding  of  the  caucus,  the  district  committee  or 
a  majority  of  the  members  thereof  present  at  such  caucus, 
shall  appoint  a  qualified  elector  of  such  party  residing  hi  the  rep- 
resentative-district as  caucus  moderator  for  such  caucus.  If  no 
member  of  the  district  committee  is  present  the  clerk  shall  call 
the  meeting  to  order,  and  the  electors  present  shall  elect  some 
qualified  person  as  caucus  moderator  of  such  caucus.  In  case  a 
caucus  clerk  is  absent  at  the  time  at  which  the  caucus  has  been 
called  or  in  case  a  caucus  clerk  becomes  incapacitated  from  per- 
forming his  duties  as  such  during  the  holding  of  the  caucus,  the 
district  committee  of  such  district,  or  such  majority  thereof, 
shall  appoint  some  qualified  elector  of  the  representative- 
district  as  such  caucus  clerk.  If  no  member  of  the  district 
committee  be  present,  the  caucus  moderator  shall  appoint  some 
qualified  elector  as  aforesaid  as  caucus  clerk.  All  caucuses  shall 
be  called  to  order  at  7:00  o'clock  P.  'M.  The  polls  shall  be  Sdpon!f 
opened  at  or  before  7:30  o'clock  P.  M.,  and  the  ballot  boxes 
shall  be  opened  and  the  interior  thereof  exposed  to  the 
view  of  all  present  by  the  moderator  before  any  ballots  are  cast. 
Any  necessary  business  not  finished  at  7:30  P.  M.,  shall 
be  postponed  until  after  the  polls  are  closed  and  the  result 
of  the  balloting  announced.  The  polls  shall  be  kept  open  until 
10: 00  o'clock  P.  M.,  and  no  longer:  Provided,  however,  that  in 
the  event  of  but  one  nominated  for  each  political  office  the  polls 


62  ELECTION   LAWS. 

shall  be  kept  open  thirty  minutes.  Except  for  the  filling  of 
vacancies  in  the  office  of  caucus  moderator  and  caucus  clerk  as 
hereinbefore  provided  in  this  section,  a  ballot  shall  be  required 
for  the  choice  of  all  candidates  for  elective  offices,  for  delegates 
to  convention,  and  for  members  of  district  committee  to  be 
Form  of  caucus  elected  by  such  caucus.  All  ballots  shall  be  printed  on  white 

ballot. 

paper,  of  uniform  size,  to  be  determined  by  the  town  committee 
of  each  political  party  in  said  town,  and  no  tissue  paper  shall 
be  used  for  any  caucus  ballot.  The  names  of  all  candidates 
for  which  any  elector  shall  vote  at  any  caucus  shall  be  written 
or  printed  on  one  ballot, 
who  may  not  gEC.  8.  No  person  shall  be  entitled  to  vote  or  take  part  hi 

participate    in 

caucus.  fae  caucus  of  any  political  party  who  within  fourteen  calendar 

months  has  voted  or  taken  part  in  the  caucus  of  any  other 
political  party  or  has  signed  nomination-papers  of  a  candidate  or 

Exception.  candidates  for  any  elective  office:  Provided,  however,  that 
the  provisions  of  this  section  shall  not  apply  to  caucuses  which 
may  be  held  in  said  town  hi  the  year  1914. 

No  person  who  has  voted  in  the  caucus  of  any  political  party 
shall  be  eligible  to  sign  any  nomination-paper  containing 
nominations  of  candidates  within  fourteen  calendar  months 
thereafter. 

Town  clerk  to         SEC.  9.     The  town  clerk  of  said  town  shall  prepare  the  voting 

prepare  voting 

lists  for  use  at  all  caucuses.  A  voting  list  shall  be  prepared  for 
each  representative-district  and  each  voting-district.  At  all 
caucuses  the  voting  lists  as  last  published  or  canvassed  accord- 
ing to  law  by  the  board  of  canvassers  of  said  town  shall  be  used 
Board  of  can-  as  hereafter  provided.  The  board  of  canvassers  in  said  town 

vassers  to  can- 

votingndiistrect  snaH  hold  a  canvass  meeting  on  the  twenty-seventh  day  pre- 
ceding the  Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  in  November 
in  each  year,  and  also  on  a  day  not  more  than  five  days  prior  to 
the  earliest  day  lawfully  selected  by  any  political  party  for  .the 
holding  of  caucuses  made  necessary  by  a  special  election  in  such 
town,  to  canvass  and  correct  the  voting  lists  of  electors  qualified. 


ELECTION   LAWS.  63 

Notice  of  said  canvass  meetings  shall  be  given  in  such  manner 
as  such  board  of  canvassers  shall  prescribe. 

SEC.  10.  In  preparing  caucus  voting  lists  for  the  caucuses  same  subject, 
of  any  political  party  there  shall  be  stricken  from  the  lists  speci- 
fied in  Section  9  of  this  act,  the  names  of  all  persons  shown  by  the 
nomination-papers,  or  copies  thereof,  and  used  caucus  voting 
lists  in  the  possession  of  the  town  clerk  to  be  debarred  from 
voting  in  such  caucuses  by  the  provisions  of  Section  8  of  this 
act,  or  who  are  shown  by  the  regulations  of  such  town  committee 
adopted  under  the  provisions  of  Section  2  of  this  act,  to  be  not 
entitled  to  vote  in  its  caucuses. 

SEC.  11.     The  town  clerk  of  said  town  is  hereby  authorized  Town  c]erk  to 
and  required  to  furnish,  at  the  expense  of  said  town,  suitable  box"'*  and  ° 

supplies. 

ballot  boxes,  blank  forms  of  certificates,  ballots  and  other  election 
stationery  for  each  polling  place  at  which  any  caucus  is  held,  and 
to  cause  the  voting  lists  and  ballots  prepared  as  aforesaid  to 
be  delivered  at  each  polling  place  to  the  caucus  moderator  prior 
to  the  hour  of  7 : 00  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  the  day  on  which 
any  such  caucus  is  to  be  held;  and  it  is  hereby  made  the  duty 
of  the  chief  of  police  of  said  town  to  detail  such  number  of  police 
officers  to  each  such  polling  place,  for  the  preservation  of  order 
and  to  deliver  tho  voting  lists  and  ballots  aforesaid,  as  may  be 
requested  by  the  town  clerk  of  said  town. 
SEC.  12.  The  caucus  moderator  shall  receive  the  ballot  of 

Caucus 

all  persons  whose  names  are  upon  the  lists  certified  and  furnished  recel^baiiots. 
to  him,  and  shall  reject  the  ballots  of  all  other  persons. 

SEC.  13.     Immediately  on  the  closing  of  the  polls  the  caucus  T 

Vote,  how 

moderator  and  clerk  shall  in  open  caucus  proceed  to  count  the  JSstSrto  8j»t. 
ballots  cast  in  the  presence  of  such  representatives  as  may 
be  appointed  in  writing,  one  by  each  candidate  voted  for  at 
said  caucus;  and  each  candidate  receiving  a  plurality  of  the 
ballots  cast  for  the  office  for  which  he  was  a  candidate 
shall  be  declared  by  the  caucus  moderator  to  be  elected  or  nomi- 
nated, as  the  case  may  be.  The  ballots  and  voting  lists  shall 


64  ELECTION   LAWS. 

Return  of           then  be  forthwith  separately  sealed  up,  together  with  a  state- 

ballots,  voting 

lists,  etc.  ment  of  the  result  of  the  balloting,  substantially  in  form 

required  by  law  in  the  case  of  elective  meetings,  and  shall  be 
forthwith  delivered  in  person  by  the  caucus  clerk  to  the  town 
clerk  in  said  town. 

in  case  of  tie          gEC.  14.     in  case  at  any  caucus  a  majority  of  a  delegation 

vote,  etc.,  what 

take™  to  ^  *°  any  convention,  or  of  any  district  committee,  are  not  elected, 
or  in  case  of  a  tie  vote  for  an  elective  office,  the  caucus  shall 
adjourn  to  such  day  as  shall  be  designated  at  said  caucus  by 
the  caucus  moderator,  but  not  to  any  day  at  which  a  caucus 
of  any  political  party  has  been  called.  In  case  of  a  tie  vote  for  a 
smaller  number  than  a  majority  of  the  delegates  to  a  convention, 
or  of  the  members  of  a  district  committee,  the  elected  members 
of  the  delegation  or  of  the  committee  shall  fill  the  vacancies  so 
caused  and  make  notification  of  their  action  to  the  person  or 
officer  entitled  to  receive  the  same.  In  all  cases  the  delegates 
to  a  convention  shall  have  power  to  fill  vacancies  in  their  number 
appearing  at  the  hour  of  the  meeting  of  such  convention. 

Moderator  to         SEC.  15.    The  moderator  of  every  caucus  shall,  within  twenty- 
prepare   certifi- 

anJino^inrtton1  ^our  nolirs  after  said  caucus  is  held,  deliver  or  send  to  each 
delegate  to  a  political  convention,  and  to  each  member  of  a 
political  committee,  a  certificate  of  his  election,  and  to  each 
candidate  for  an  elective  office  a  certificate  of  his  nomination,  and 
shall  also  cause  the  certificate  of  nomination  required  by  law 
in  the  case  of  all  candidates  who  are  nominated  by  such  caucus 
for  any  elective  office  to  be  prepared  and  seasonably  filed  in  the 
proper  public  office,  unless  proceedings  for  a  recount  of  the  ballots 
at  such  caucus  are  inaugurated  conformably  to  the  provisions 
of  Section  16  of  this  act,  in  which  case  he  shall  not  deliver,  send 

Verification        or  cause  to  be  filed  any  such  certificates.     Upon  the  check  list 

of  check  list  IT 

by  clerk.  used  at  such  caucus  the  clerk  checking  such  list  shall  make  a 

return  under  oath  that  the  said  check  list  is  the  identical  one 
used  in  the  caucus  of  the  political  party  for  which  it  was 
furnished,  and  that  the  names  checked  were  truly  and  properly 


ELECTION   LAWS.  65 

checked  at  such  caucus,  and  that  no  alteration  or  erasure  or 
additional  check  has  been  made  thereon. 

SEC.  16.  If  before  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  day  Provisions  for 
succeeding  the  day  on  which  any  caucus  is  held  under  the  pro-  bL°i°ots.  ° 
visions  of  this  act  a  person  who  has  received  votes  thereat  for 
nomination  or  election  to  any  elective  office,  delegation,  or 
political  committee  shall  serve  upon  the  town  clerk  of  said  town 
a  statement  in  writing  that  the  records  and  returns  made  by 
the  caucus  officers  as  aforesaid,  are  erroneous,  and  specifying 
wherein  the  same  are  erroneous,  and  claiming  an  election  or 
nomination  by  said  caucus  for  the  petitioner,  and  petitioning 
for  a  recount  of  such  ballots  by  the  board  of  canvassers  of  said 
town,  such  town  clerk  shall  retain  all  the  ballots  cast  at  such 
caucus  until  such  claim  is  withdrawn  or  the  contest  for  the  nomi- 
nation or  election  is  fully  determined  as  hereafter  provided.  The 
town  clerk  upon  whom  such  statement  is  served  shall  forthwith  Notice  of 

recount. 

notify  the  members  of  the  board  of  canvassers  of  his  town  of 
the  filing  of  such  petition,  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  board 
of  canvassers  to  forthwith  convene,  and  to  cause  notice  in  writ- 
ing to  be  served  in  such  manner  as  said  board  of  canvassers 
shall  direct,  upon  all  other  candidates  for  the  same  office  receiv- 
ing votes  at  said  caucus,  at  the  expense  of  the  petitioner,  of 
the  filing  of  such  petitions  for  a  recount,  and  shall  appoint  a 
•time  and  place  for  the  recount  of  said  ballots,  within  twenty- 
four  hours,  exclusive  of  Sundays  and  legal  holidays,  from  the 
time  of  ordering  s.uch  notice.  At  the  time  specified  by  said  board  Methodof 
of  canvassers  said  town  clerk  shall  transmit  to  such  board  all  Leaning  thereon. 
the  ballots  cast  at  such  caucus  and  the  voting  list  used  thereat, 
and  at  the  appointed  time  and  place  said  board  of  canvassers 
shall  proceed  to  recount  said  ballots  and  to  hear  and  determine 
all  questions  raised  for  or  against  the  counting  jof  the  same  or 
of  any  thereof,  and  shall  declare,  as  the  result  of  such  recount  and 
determination,  what  persons,  if  any,  were  lawfully  elected  or 
nominated  at  such  caucus.  Such  declaration  shall  stand  as 

9 


66  ELECTION   LAWS. 

c^dush^nnd    the  true  record  and  result  of  the  vote  cast  at  such  caucus,  and 
be  'prepared8  °  the  proper  officer  shall  cause  the  names  of  the  persons  so  declared 

accordingly. 

to  be  nominated  for  any  elective  office  to  be  printed  upon  the 

official  ballots,  in  accordance  with  a  certificate  of  such  recount 

and  determination  made  and  filed  with  him  by  said  board, 

which  certificate  shall  be  deemed  to  be  made  and  filed  as  of  the 

day  of  holding  such  caucus.     Said  board  shall  also  furnish  to 

each  delegate  and  member  of  a  committee,    so  declared  to  be 

Candidate  or      elected,  a  certificate  of  his  election.     Any  candidate  receiving 

ti\Vmary  t>en  &     votes  at  such  caucus  for  such  nomination  or  office  may  be 

present  at  re- 
count, present  during  such  recount,  either  in  person  or  by  an  agent 

duly  appointed  in  writing. 
Town  clerk  to         gEC.  17.     The  town  clerk  of  said  town  shall  retain  under 

retain  under 

vofbfg1  lifts?  for  seal  f°r  the  period  of  fourteen  calendar  months  all  of  the  voting 

lists  returned  to  him  under  the  provisions  of  this  act :     Provided, 

Lists  may  be       that  such  lists  may  be  unsealed  for  use  in  the  proceedings  pro- 

unsealed,  when. 

vided  for  in  Sections  10  and  16  of  this  act,  after  which  they  shall 
be  immediately  resealed,  and  that  the  said  town  clerk,  after  a 
check  list  has  been  used  at  a  caucus  of  a  political  party  held 
under  the  provisions  of  this  act  upon  written  application  for 
a  copy  of  the  list  as  checked,  signed  by  any  qualified  elector 
hi  the  said  town  where  such  list  was  used,  and  upon  payment 
or  tender  of  the  fees  provided  by  law  therefor,  may  unseal  and 
open  the  wrapper  containing  such  check  list,  and  shall  furnish 
to  such  applicant  a  certified  copy  of  the  list  as  checked,  and  shall 
then  reseal  the  same. 

Penalties.  SEC.  18.     Every  public  officer  or  officer  of  a  political  party 

who  shall  wilfully  violate  any  of  the  provisions  of  this  act, 
or  shall  refuse,  or  wilfully  neglect  and  omit  to  perform,  in  the 
manner  and  within  the  time  prescribed,  any  duty  imposed  upon 
him  by  this  act,  shall  be  fined  not  less  than  one  hundred  dollars 
nor  more  than  five  hundred  dollars,  or  imprisoned  in  jail  for 
a  period  not  exceeding  six  months  or  both.  Every  person  at  a 
caucus  who  knowing  that  he  is  not  entitled  to  vote,  votes  or 


ELECTION   LAWS.  67 

attempts  to  vote  upon  any  other  name  than  his  own,  or  votes 
or  attempts  to  vote  more  than  once  upon  his  own  name,  or 
deposits  or  attempts  to  deposit  more  than  one  ballot  for  any 
candidate  for  any  elective  office  or  delegate  to  any  convention 
or  member  of  any  political  committee  at  the  same  balloting,  or 
at  any  caucus  gives  a  false  answer  to  the  caucus  clerk  or  the 
presiding  officer  of  any  caucus  relative  to  his  right  to  vote  at 
such  caucus,  shall  be  punished  by  imprisonment  in  jail  not 
exceeding  six  months.  Whoever  aids  or  abets  a  person  not 
entitled  to  vote  at  a  caucus  in  voting  or  attempting  to  vote  under 
a  name  other  than  the  voter's  own  name,  or  in  voting  twice 
upon  the  voter's  own  name,  or  aids  or  abets  a  person  in  deposit- 
ing or  attempting  to  deposit  at  a  caucus  more  than  one  ballot 
as  aforesaid  at  the  same  balloting,  shall  be  punished  by  imprison- 
ment in  jail  not  exceeding  six  months.  Excepting  otherwise 
herein  provided,  the  penalties  imposed  by  law  upon  election  and 
other  officers  and  voters  who  violate  the  provisions  of  acts 
regulating  elective  meetings  are  hereby  imposed  upon  the  like 
caucus  and  other  officers  and  voters  for  like  violations  of  this 
act. 

SEC.  19.     It  shall  be  the  duty  of  every  police  or  other  peace  Arrest  without 
officer  or   constable   to   arrest   without   warrant   any   person 
detected  hi  the  act  of  violating  the  provisions  of  this  act. 

SEC.  20.     The  secretary  of  state  shall  make  and  send  to  the  secretary  of 
town  clerk  of  said  town  copies  of  all  nomination  papers  filed  copies  of  certain 

nomination 

with  him  which  contain  the  names  of  electors  of  such  town.  papers. 

SEC.  21 .     The  town  committee  in  said  town  at  the  time  of  the  present  town 

P  ,  i  •  i      ii  •  •       ,1  committee  con- 

passage  of  this  act  shall  organize  and  serve  in  the  same  manner  tinued  in  office. 
and  with  the  same  effect  as  if  they  had  been  elected  under  its 
provisions. 

SEC.  22.     This  act  shall  take  effect  on  and  after  June  1, 
A.  D.  1914. 


INDEX 


PAGE. 
Ballot,  of  election  by  secret,  Sections  1,  7,  8,  22,  24,  31,  57,  58  and  61  of 

Chapter  11  relative  to,  amended 11-17 

secret,  town  may  vote  to  adopt 15 

Ballots  cast  at  general  elections,  how  to  be  sealed  up 8 

cast  for  certain  candidates  to  be  counted  by  state  returning  board. .  31 

counting  of  by  state  returning  board,  when  to  begin 32 

delivery  of  by  secretary  of  state 15 

how  prepared  and  what  to  contain 12 

of  the  delivery  of,  to  state  returning  board 9 

packages  of,  how  endorsed,  by  state  returning  board 32 

used  at  state  elections,  how  furnished 11 

when  and  how  sealed  up  after  counting,  by  state  returning  board .  .  32 
Board  of  canvassers  and  registration  to  assume  duties  and  powers  of  city 

clerk  of  the  city  of  Providence 
relative  to  caucuses  and  elec- 
tions   38 

of  the  city  of  Providence  to  receive 
annually  copy  of  tax  assess- 
ment from  board  of  assessors  of 

taxes 38 

Bristol,  holding  of  caucuses  in,  Sections  3  and  7  of  Chapter  475  of  the 

Public  Laws  relative  to,  amended .  .  5-7 

Sections  1, 2,  5  and  9,  amended 40-42 

Caucuses  in  the  cities  of  Providence,  Newport  and  Pawtucket  (Central 
Falls),  Sections  1,  2,  3,  5,  6,  7,  8  and  17  of  Chapter  12  rela- 
tive to  the  holding  of,  amended , 24-31 

in  the  town  of  Bristol,  Sections  3  and  7  of  Chapter  475  of  the 
Public   Laws   relative  to  holding, 

amended 5-7 

Sections  1,  2,  5  and  9,  amended 4CM2 

in  the  town  of  East  Providence,  Sections  1,  2  and  5  of  Chapter 

746  of  the  Public  Laws  relative  to,  amended 42-46 


70  ELECTION   LAWS. 

PAGE. 
Caucuses  in  the  town  of  North  Smithfield,  Sections  1,  2  and  5  of  Chapter 

891  of  the  Public  Laws  relative  to,  amended 49-51 

in  the  town  of  Tiverton,  Sections  1,  2,  5  and  9  of  Chapter  762  of 

the  Public  Laws  relative  to  holding  of,  amended 51-53 

in  the  town  of  West  Warwick 57-67 

.Central  Falls,  Providence,  Newport  and  Pawtucket,  cities  of,  Sections  1, 
2,  3,  5,  6,  7,  8  and  17  of  Chapter  12  relative  to  the  holding  of 

caucuses  in,  amended 24-31 

Certificate  of  officers  of  elective  meeting  to  be  enclosed  in  package  of 

ballots 8 

Cities  of  Providence,  Newport  and  Pawtucket  (Central  Falls),  Sections  1, 
2,  3,  5,  6,  7,  8  and  17  of  Chapter  12  relative  to  the  holding  of 

caucuses  in,  amended 24-31 

City  clerk  of  city  of  Providence,  duties  and  powers  of,  relative  to  caucuses 
and  elections  transferred  to  the  board  of  canvassers  and  regis- 
tration    38 

Clerk,  city,  of  city  of  Providence,  duties  and  powers  of,  relative  to  caucuses 
and  elections  transferred  to  the  board  of  canvassers  and  regis- 
tration    38 

town,  Section  4  of  Chapter  51  relative  to,  amended 21 

where  to  be  twenty  days  before  election 21 

Clerks  and  moderators,  certain,  how  chosen,  etc 18 

of  senate  and  house,  how  chosen 37 

Committees  of  house  and  senate,  to  be  chosen  biennially 37 

Congress  of  the  United  States,  Sections  3,  4,  5,  7  and  8  of  Chapter  16 

relative  to  elections  of  representatives  in,  amended 22-24 

senators  and  representatives  in,  number  of  signatures  required 

for  nomination  of 12 

Constitution  and  organization  of  the  general  assembly,  Section  16  of 

Chapter  25  relative  to,  amended 4 

Sections  19,  20,  24,  25  and  26  amended 34-37 

Council,  town,  may  elect  what  officers 20 

Counting  of  ballots  by  state  returning  board,  when  to  begin 32 

Deputy,  town  clerk  to  appoint 21 

East  Providence,  town  of,  Sections  1,  2  and  5  of  Chapter  746  of  the  Public 

Laws  relative  to  holding  of  caucuses  in,  amended 42-46 

Election  by  secret  ballot,  Sections  1,  7,  8,  22,  24,  31,  57,  58  and  61  of 

Chapter  11  relative  to,  amended 11-17 


INDEX.  71 

PAGE. 

Election  of  president  of  the  senate  and  speaker  of  the  house  of  repre- 
sentatives    36 

of  representatives  in  the  congress  of  the  United  States,  Sections 

3,  4,  5,  7  and  8  of  Chapter  16  relative  to,  amended 22-24 

of  town  officers  in  the  town  of  Johnston 46 

of  town  officers  in  the  town  of  Lincoln 47-49 

of  town  officers  in  the  town  of  Warwick 54 

of  town  officers  in  the  town  of  West  Greenwich,  Chapter  1109, 
as  amended  by  Chapter  1394  of  the  Public  Laws  relative 

to,  amended 55-57 

supplies,  secretary  of  state  to  furnish  certain 10 

town  clerk,  where  to  be  twenty  days  before 21 

Elections  and  caucuses,  duties  and  powers  of  the  city  clerk  of  the  city  of 
Providence  relative  to,  transferred  to  board  of  canvassers 

and  registration '. 38 

ballots  used  at  State,  how  furnished 11 

State,  ballots  cast  at,  how  to  be  sealed  up 8 

moderator  and  clerk  of  meetings  for  to  enclose  certain  certificate 

in  package  of  ballots 8 

of  the  manner  of  conducting,  Sections  11,  12,  13  and  25  of 

Chapter  10  relative  to,  amended 8 

Electors,  certain,  absent  from  the  state  may  vote  how 16 

Endorsement  of  packages  of  ballots,  by  state  returning  board 32 

General  assembly,  of  the  constitution  and  organization  ofr  Section  16  of 

Chapter  25  relative  to,  amended 4 

Sections  19,  20,  24,  25  and  26,  amended 34-37 

secretary  of  state  to  prepare  list  of  members  of 34 

GENERAL  LAWS,  AMENDED,  REPEALED,  ETC. 

Chap.     7.     "Of  the  registering,  listing  and  returning  lists  of  voters 

and  of  proof  of  their  qualification  to  vote. " 38 

10.  "Of  the  manner  of  conducting  elections." 8-10 

11.  "Of  elections  by  secret  ballot. " .  .  > 11-17 

12.  "  Of  the  holding  of  caucuses  in  the  cities  of  Providence, 

Newport  and  Pawtucket. " 24-31 

16.  "  Of  the  election  of  representatives  in  the  congress  of 

the  United  States." 22-24 

19.  "Of  the  state  returning  board  and  defining  its  duties. "  31-33 


72  ELECTION  LAWS. 

PAGE. 

GENERAL  LAWS,  AMENDED,  REPEALED,  ETC. — Concluded. 

Chap.  25.     "Of  the  constitution  and  organization  of  the  general 

assembly. " 4-34 

47.  "Of  calling  and  warning  town  meetings." 17 

48.  "Of  the  quorum,  government  and  conduct  of  town 

meetings,  and  of  organization  and  government  of 

ward  meetings. "     3-18 

49.  "Of  the  election  and  qualification  of  town  officers." ...  20 
51.     "Of  the  town  clerk." 21 

PUBLIC  LAWS,  AMENDED,  REPEALED,  ETC. 

Chap.  475  (January  session,  1909)  caucuses  in  town  of  Bristol.  .  .  5-^tO 
640  (August  session,  1910)  Sec.  1.  Copy  of  tax  assess- 
ment to  be  deliv- 
ered to  board  of 
canvassers  annu- 
ally   38 

Sec.  6.  Certificates  to  be  en- 
closed in  package 

of  ballots 8 

Sec.  16.  Nominations  to  be 
open  to  public  in- 
spection   12 

Sees.  23, 24, 25, 27,  28.  Holding 
caucuses  in  cities 
of  Providence, 
Newport,  Paw- 
tucket  and  Central 

Falls 24-31 

Sec.  34.  Organization  of  gen- 
eral assembly 34-37 

Westerly  representa- 
tive districts 4 

Sec.  35.  Certain  moderators 
and  clerks,  how 

elected 18 

677  (January  session,  1911)  certain  moderators  and  clerks, 

how  elected 18 

746   (January  session,   1911)   caucuses  in  town  of  East 

Providence. .  .  42 


INDEX.  73 

PAOB. 
PUBLIC  LAWS,  AMENDED,  REPEALED,  ETC. — Concluded. 

Chap.  762  (January  session,  1911)  caucuses  in  town  of  Tiverton  .  .  51 

891   (January  session,  1912)  caucuses  in  town  of  North 

Smithfield 49 

1109  (January  session,  1892)  Election  of  town  officers  in 

town  of  West  Greenwich 55 

1394  (January  session,  1906)  Election  of  town  officers  in 

town  of  West  Greenwich 55 

General  officers,  number  of  signatures  required  for  nomination  of 12 

House  of  representatives  and  senate,  clerks  of,  how  chosen 37 

committees  of,  to  be  chosen  biennially 37 

proceedings  to  be  observed  in  organization  of .  .  36 

speaker  of,  how  chosen 36 

Johnston,  town  of,  certain  town  officers  elected,  when  and  how 46 

Laws,  general,  amended,  repealed,  etc.,  see  page  71-72  of  this  index 

public,  amended,  repealed,  etc.,  see  page  72  of  this  index 

Lincoln,  town  of,  certain  town  officers  elected,  when  and  how 47^9 

List  of  members  of  the  general  assembly,  secretary  of  state  to  prepare .  .  34 

Lists  of  voters,  of  the  registering,  listing  and  returning,  and  of  their  quali- 
fication to  vote,  Section  18  of  Chapter  7  relative  to,  amended .  .  38 

Meeting,  town,  may  be  adjourned,  when 17 

Moderator  of  how  to  conduct  in  case  of  a  motion  made .  3 
Meetings,  town,  of  the  quorum,  government  and  conduct  of,  and  of  organi- 
zation and  government  of  ward  meetings,  Section  14 

of  Chapter  48  relative  to,  amended 3 

Section  3,  amended 18 

town,  Section  3  of  Chapter  47  relative  to  the  calling  and  warning 

of,  amended 17 

Moderator  of  town  meeting,  how  to  conduct  in  case  of  a  motion  made 3 

Moderators  and  clerks,  certain,  how  chosen,  etc >. 18 

Newport,  Providence  and  Pawtucket  (Central  Falls),  cities  of,  Sections  1, 
2,  3,  5,  6,  7,  8  and  17  of  Chapter  12  relative  to  the  holding  of 

caucuses  in,  amended 24-31 

Nomination  papers  for  certain  officers,  number  of  signatures  required 12 

Nominations  to  be  open  to  public  inspection,  how  long 12 

10 


74  ELECTION  LAWS. 

PAGE. 
North  Smithfield,  town  of,  Sections  1,  2  and  5  of  Chapter  891  of  the  Public 

Laws  relative  to  holding  of  caucuses  in,  amended 49-51 

Oath  of  engagement  for  city  and  town  officers,  form  of 20 

Officers,  form  of  oath  of  engagement  for  city  and  town 20 

town,  Chapter  1109,  as  amended  by  Chapter  1394  of  the  Public 
Laws  relative  to  election  of  in  the  town  of  West  Greenwich, 

amended 55-57 

town  council  may  elect,  what 20 

town,  election  of  in  the  town  of  Johnston 46 

town,  election  of  in  the  town  of  Lincoln 47-^19 

town,  election  of  in  the  town  of  Warwick 54 

town,  of  the  election  and  qualification  of,  Sections  13  and  15  of 

Chapter  49  relative  to,  amended 20 

Organization  and  constitution  of  the  general  assembly,  Section  16  of 

Chapter  25  relative  to,  amended 4 

Sections  19,  20,  24,  25  and  26,  amended 34-37 

of  house  of  representatives,  proceedings  to  be  observed  at .  36 

of  senate,  proceedings  to  be  observed  at 35 

Packages  of  ballots,  how  endorsed,  by  state  returning  board 32 

"Political  Party  "  words  defined 11 

Polls  in  the  town  of  West  Warwick,  act  regulating  the  opening  and  closing 

of 7 

President  pro  tempore  of  the  senate,  when  to  be  elected 37 

Providence,  assessors  of,  to  deliver  to  board  of  canvassers,  annually,  copy 

of  tax  assessment 38 

city  of,  act  transferring  the  duties  and  powers  of  the  city 
clerk  of,  relative  to  caucuses  and  elections  to  board  of 

canvassers  and  registration 38 

Newport  and  Pawtucket  (Central  Falls),  cities  of,  Sections 
1,  2,^3,  5,  6,   7,  8  and  17  of  Chapter  12  relative  to  the 

holding  of  caucuses  in,  amended 24-31 

Public  Laws,  amended,  repealed,  etc.     See  page  72  of  this  Index. 

Quorum,  government  and  conduct  of  town  meetings,  and  of  organization 
and  government  of  ward  meetings,  Section  14  of  Chapter  48 

relative  to,  amended 3 

Section  3,  amended 18 


•      ••  •     »»••*••* 

'INDEX:*  75 

PAOB 

Representative  districts,  act  relative  to  the  division  of  town  of  into  repre- 
sentative districts 4 

Representatives  in  the  congress  of  the  United  States,  Sections  3,  4,  5,  7, 

and  8  of  Chapter  16  relative  to,  amended 22-24 

in  congress,  number  of  signatures  required  for  nomination 

of 12 

Returning  board,  state,  and  defining  its  duties,  Sections  2,  3,  11,  16  and  17 

of  Chapter  19  relative  to,  amended 31-33 

of  the  delivery  of  ballots  to 9 

Sealing  up  of  ballots  after  counting,  by  state  returning  board 32 

Secret  ballot,  election  by,  Sections  1,  7,  8,  22,  24,  31,  57,  58  and  61  of 

Chapter  11  relative  to,  amended 11-17 

town  may  vote  to  adopt 15 

Secretary  of  state,  delivery  of  ballots  by 15 

to  furnish  certain  election  supplies 10 

to  prepare  list  of  senators  and  representatives-elect. .  .  34 

of  state  returning  board,  and  clerical  assistance 33 

Senate  and  house  of  representatives,  clerks  of,  how  chosen 37 

committees  of  to  be  chosen  bien- 
nially    37 

president  pro  tempore,  when  to  be  elected 37 

proceedings  to  be  observed  in  organization  of 35 

Senators  in  congress,  number  of  signatures  required  for  nomination  of. .  .  12 

Speaker  of  house  of  representatives,  how  chosen 36 

State  returning  board,  and  defining  its  duties,  Sections  2,  3,  11,  16  and  17 

of  Chapter  19  relative  to,  amended 31-33 

of  the  delivery  of  ballots  to 9 

Supplies,  election,  secretary  of  state  to  furnish  certain 10 

Tax  assessment,  board  of  assessors  of  taxes  of  city  of  Providence  to  deliver 

copy  of  annually  to  board  of  canvassers 38 

Tiverton,  town  of,  Sections  1,  2,  5  and  9  of  Chapter  762  of  the  Public  Laws 

relative  to  the  holding  of  caucuses  in,  amended 51-53 

Town  clerk,  Section  4  of  Chapter  51  relative  to,  amended 21 

where  to  be  twenty  days  before  election 21 

council  may  elect  what  officers 20 

meeting  may  be  adjourned  when 17 

moderator  of,  how  to  conduct  in  case  of  a  motion  made 3 


76  ELECTION  LAWS. 

PAGE. 
Town  meetings,  of  calling  and  warning,  Section  3  of  Chapter  47  relative 

to,  amended 17 

of  the  quorum,  government  and  conduct  of,  and  of  organi- 
zation and  government  of  ward  meetings,  Section  14 
of  Chapter  48  relative  to,  amended 3 

Section  3,  amended 18 

of  East  Providence,  Sections  1,  2  and  5  of  Chapter  746  of 
the  Public  Laws  relative  to  holding  of  caucuses  in, 
amended 42-46 

of  North  Smithfield,  Sections  1,  2  and  5  of  Chapter  891  of 
the  Public  Laws  relative  to  holding  of  caucuses  in, 
amended 49-51 

of  Tiverton,  Sections  1,  2,  5  and  9  of  Chapter  762  of  the 
Public  Laws  relative  to  the  holding  of  caucuses  in, 
amended 51-53 

of  West  Warwick,  caucuses  in 57-67 

officers,  Chapter  1109  as  amended  by  Chapter  1394  of  the  Public 
Laws  relative  to  election  of,  in  the  town  of  West 
Greenwich,  amended 55-57 

election  of  in  the  town  of  Johnston 46 

in  the  town  of  Lincoln 47^9 

in  the  town  of  Warwick 54 

of  the  election  and  qualification  of,  Sections  13  and  15  of 

Chapter  49  relative  to,  amended 20 

Voters,  of  the  registering,  listing  and  returning  lists  of,  and  of  proof  of  their 
qualification  to  vote,  Section  18  of  Chapter  7  relative  to, 
amended 38 

Warwick,  town  of,  town  officers  elected,  when  and  how 54 

West  Greenwich,  town  of,  Chapter  1109,  as  amended  by  Chapter  1394  of 

the  Public  Laws  relative  to  election  of  town  officers  in,  amended.  55-57 
West  Warwick,  act  regulating  the  opening  and  closing  of  polls  in  the  town 

of 7 

town  of,  caucuses  in 57-67 

Westerly,  act  relative  to  division  of  into  representative-districts,  amended.  4 


Bros. 
Makers 

Syracuse,  X.  V. 
PAT.  JAN.  21,  1908 


293014 


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